1587 Flat Earth Map of the World
The 1587 Flat Earth Map of the World Urbano Monte: A Masterpiece of Cartography and Imagination
The world map is one of the oldest and most powerful forms of visual representation. It shows us how people have perceived and depicted the shape, size, and features of the Earth throughout history. It also reflects their cultural, political, and scientific views, as well as their hopes, fears, and fantasies. One of the most remarkable examples of world maps is the one created by Urbano Monte in 1587. This map is not only the largest known early map of the world, but also a unique vision of the world as he knew it.
Who was Urbano Monte?
Urbano Monte was a nobleman and scholar from Milan, Italy. He was born in 1544 and died in 1613. He had a keen interest in geography, astronomy, history, and natural sciences. He was also a patron of arts and letters, and a friend of many prominent figures of his time, such as the poet Torquato Tasso and the astronomer Tycho Brahe. He was fascinated by the discoveries and explorations that were expanding the horizons of the known world in the 16th century. He wanted to understand and depict the whole world in a single map that would serve as a scientific and artistic synthesis of his knowledge.
How did he make his map?
Monte’s map is a planisphere, which means that it shows the whole surface of the Earth projected onto a flat plane. He used a north polar azimuthal projection, which means that he centered his map on the North Pole and drew circles of latitude and longitude as concentric circles and straight lines radiating from the center. This projection preserves the distances and directions from the center point, but distorts the shapes and sizes of the regions near the edges. Monte was aware of this distortion and tried to correct it by adding more details and annotations to those areas.
Monte’s map consists of 60 sheets that measure about 21 by 18 inches each. When assembled, they form a circular map that is more than nine feet in diameter. Monte drew his map by hand, using pen and ink, watercolors, and gold leaf. He filled his map with rich and colorful illustrations of continents, islands, oceans, rivers, mountains, forests, deserts, cities, kingdoms, peoples, animals, plants, ships, sea monsters, and celestial bodies. He also added numerous texts that explain the geographical features, historical events, cultural customs, climatic conditions, astronomical phenomena, and mythical stories related to each region.
Monte intended his map to be mounted on a wooden panel that could be rotated around a central pivot through the North Pole. This way, he could show different views of the world according to different orientations and perspectives. He also provided a smaller key sheet that summarizes the main features and divisions of his map.
What makes his map unique?
Monte’s map is unique in many ways. It is not only the largest known early map of the world, but also one of the earliest examples of using a north polar azimuthal projection for a world map. This projection was not commonly used by mapmakers until the 20th century. It gives a striking view of the world as it would be seen from above the North Pole. It also emphasizes the Arctic regions, which were becoming more accessible and important for trade and exploration at that time.
Monte’s map is also unique in its level of detail and decoration. He drew his map with great care and skill, using various sources of information and inspiration. He based his map on the works of previous cartographers such as Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius, but he also updated his map with new discoveries and corrections. For example, he included Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, which was first sighted by Ferdinand Magellan in 1520. He also depicted Japan with many place names that were not found on other Western maps of that time. He probably learned them from the Japanese embassy that visited Milan in 1585.
Monte’s map is also unique in its mixture of reality and fantasy. He tried to make his map as accurate and scientific as possible, but he also added many elements that were based on legends, myths, or imagination. For example, he showed unicorns in Siberia, mermen in the Southern Ocean, and a giant bird carrying an elephant in its claws near Madagascar. He also showed some regions that were not yet explored or mapped by Europeans, such as Australia or Antarctica. He either left them blank or filled them with hypothetical or imaginary features.
Why is his map important?
Monte’s map is important for several reasons. It is a valuable historical document that shows how people understood and represented the world in the late 16th century. It is also a remarkable artistic achievement that demonstrates the skill and creativity of its maker. It is also a fascinating cultural artifact that reveals the interests and beliefs of its time. It is a map that combines science, art, and imagination in a unique and captivating way.
Monte’s map is also important because it has been hidden and forgotten for centuries. Only three copies of his map are known to exist today. They were all bound as atlases and never assembled or displayed as Monte intended. The copy that belongs to the David Rumsey Map Collection at Stanford University is the only one that has been digitized and joined into a single image. Thanks to this digital restoration, we can now see Monte’s map as a whole and appreciate its beauty and complexity.
Monte’s map is a masterpiece of cartography and imagination that deserves to be seen and studied by more people. It is a map that invites us to explore the world as he saw it, and to marvel at the wonders and mysteries that he depicted.
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