Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 1: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
An interesting set of globe gores of the first quarter of the sixteenth
century is that attributed to Boulengier, of which but one copy, now
belonging to the New York Public Library, is known.[175] These gores,
twelve in number (Fig. 40), were printed from a copper engraved plate 18
by 36 cm. in size, but bear neither date nor name of author. The title
appearing across the bottom of the map reads, “Vniversalis cosmographie
descriptio tam in solido quem plano.” They were found in a copy of
Waldseemüller’s ‘Cosmographiae Introductio,’ printed at Lyons by Jean de
la Place, but undated. Harrisse gives as the probable date of the
publication between November 27, 1517, and May 26, 1518.[176] With this
engraved world map were found two other copper plates, one bearing the
title “Astrolabium Phisicum,” the other “Motus novae spere et
trepidacionis spere MDXIV,” and signed “Artificis Ludovici Boulengier,
Allebie, 1514.” As this edition of the ‘Cosmographiae’ was prepared for
the press by Boulengier,[177] who in his day achieved distinction as a
mathematician, astronomer, and geographer, this gore map has been
ascribed to him. It appears from a statement on the verso of a folded
plate belonging to Chapter VIII that a globe had been prepared to
accompany it.[178] This statement, while not agreeing in all respects
with one to be found in the edition of 1507, is of similar import.
Boulengier states in his dedicatory letter that he had noted other
globes which had been previously published. As a bit of copper engraving
it is very artistically done; its inscriptions, coast outlines, and
rivers are drawn in soft ornamental lines. That region representing
North America bears simply the name “Nova,” while South America is
referred to as “America noviter reperta,” a wording for this information
which elsewhere appears only on the Jagellonicus globe. These gores are
of sufficient dimensions to cover a ball 11 cm. in diameter.
[Illustration: Fig. 40. Terrestrial Globe Gores of Boulengier, ca.
1518.]
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