Nova Totius Europae Tabula

Article description

Original copper engraving, hand colored in outline and wash when published. Published circa 1710. Outstanding large wall map of Europe by the famous Dutch cartographer and map publisher Petrus Schenk. The map was printed from nine plates, joint together and then originally mounted on linen. An highly impressive wall map of Europe in original colors as published. At the bottom this map is decorated with panoramic city views of Roma, Amsterdam, Paris, London and Sevilla. At the top the title,Nova Totius Europae Tabula' is depicted on a banner and held aloft by puttos with garlands of fruit. In the upper right corner one cartouche with the imprint and privileg of the publisher "Gedrukt by Pet: Schenk Const en Caart Verkoper Op de Vygendam Tot Amsterdam Met Privilegie". The very large highly decorative allegoric title cartouche depicts in its centre,Queen Europe' admired by water gods, puttos and a protecting soldier in the rear. Above an angel is playing a trumpet. Underneath left with two fine engraved signatures:,F. Tideman Liniavit' and ,G v d Gouwen fecit aquaforte'. This rare wall map extends in the northwest towards Greenland and depicts also Iceland nicely. Further Lithuania, Hungary, Southeast Europe and the eastern Mediterranean is shown very well on the map. In the northeast the neighbouring Russia and in the Southwest North Africa, the Canary Islands and the Acores. In the lower right corner we find an inset map of the Eastern Hemishere held by a beautiful bare-breasted woman together with a warrior holding a lance and a shield. Furthermore, compass roses, ships and sea gods were drawn in the seas. Overall a beautiful highly decorative map of Europe. This rare wall map of Europe was printed from nine plates and was hand colored with typical colors of the period when the map was printed and published. Due of the oxidations in the old colors, especially in the green colored parts overall skillful paper restorations were necessary. Also larger parts or sections of the map were and are still with losses and were therefore carefully redrawn. Overall the map is now in very good condition. The old linen was removed and the nine sheets were mounted again together on acidfree conservation paper. The old oxidations in the colors were stabilized. A nice and attractive example of a very rare Dutch wall map of the European continent. This wall map of Europe is not described or listed in any bibliographies. We were unable to trace another copy in a public collection or library. We only know one other example of this map in private hands.