Mercator, Rumold (1545-1599). Orbis Terrae Compendiosa Descriptio [World Map]. 1587.

Rumold Mercator (1545–1599)Orbis Terrae Compendiosa DescriptioDuisburg, 1587Copperplate engraving This finely engraved double-hemisphere world map by Rumold Mercator, son of the great Gerard Mercator, is a landmark in 16th-century cartography. Published in 1587, it distills the geographical knowledge and cosmographic theories of the Renaissance into a beautifully balanced and symmetrical form, serving as a visual capstone to the Mercator family's influence on mapmaking. Drawn from the elder Mercator’s seminal 1569 world map, this version omits the complex grid of rhumb lines in favor of decorative clarity and classical elegance. The two hemispheres are framed by strapwork and compass roses, embodying the ornamental style of the late Renaissance. Geographically, the map captures the Age of Discovery in mid-stride: North and South America are present but still imperfectly understood, with exaggerated projections and distorted coastlines. A speculative Northwest Passage is suggested acros