This map as well other examples of the final fifth state, does not have text on the verso and were most likely issued separately by 

This single-sheet is a reduction of Ortelius’ eight- sheet world map of 1564 (his first cartographical production), which de Jode had himself printed, and survives in only three examples. To Ortelius’s wall map de Jode adds two spheres to the lower corners: one celestial, one terrestrial.



The Sunderland Collection

This vibrant coloured example of Gerard de Jode's cordiform map 'The Whole World, or the Image of the Terrestrial Globe on a Plane'. De Jode created this map for his atlas 'Speculum Orbis Terrarum', a direct challenge to Abraham Ortelius's primacy among mapmakers. The map is a reduction of Ortelius’s eight-sheet world map, which De Jode had himself engraved. It retains many of the features of this wall map, but adds two spheres to the lower corners: one celestial, one terrestrial.

The heart-shaped projection used in the map is significant for two reasons. First, it was an attempt by early mapmakers to increase the amount of the Earth's surface that could be displayed on a flat plane, particularly after the recent European 'discoveries' of more remote areas of the globe. Secondly, it represented the human heart and human emotions as distinct from the physical world. The present map is the fourth state of five, with place names added to the oceans and 'Terra Incognita' added to North America. This and the final fifth state, do not have text on the verso, and were most likely issued by de Jode separately.

While this map was first published separately as 'Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Descriptio, ad Exemplar Maioris Edite ab Abrah' (or in short, 'Description of the Whole World') in 1571, it was prepared for publication in de Jode’s atlas, the 'Speculum Orbis Terrarum'. It is only known in a very few examples.

De Jode intended his 'Speculum' to be a direct challenge to Ortelius’s ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’. The two, who made their living partly as map sellers, were competitors and apparently not always on good terms. It has been suggested that Ortelius was responsible for delaying the publication of de Jode’s work by using his extensive contacts to prevent de Jode's atlas being granted the necessary approbations (or privileges), as Ortelius wished to protect his own work. De Jode did not gain all the necessary approbations until 1577, some seven years after the publication of Ortelius’ ‘Theatrum’, the first copies of the ‘Speculum’ being sold at Christopher Plantin's shop in 1579.

Ortelius’ cunning plan would seem to have worked, as Plantin's records suggest that very few copies of the ‘Speculum’ were actually sold. Although sales of de Jode’s work were less than ideal, the work was evidently held in high regard, with several contemporary works citing its importance alongside the atlases of Gerard Mercator and Abraham Ortelius.

This is eye-catching work a second edition on a single-sheet reduction of Abraham Ortelius’ eight-sheet world map of 1546, which was made for publication in Gerard de Jode’s ‘Speculum Obis Terrarum’, which de Jode had himself printed. This work now only survives in three examples and was issued as a direct challenge to Ortelius’s autonomy of the atlas trade. This is an extremely fine example, with contemporary hand-colour in full.

De Jode’s Cordiform Map of the World in Colour