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
As before noted, the exact date when Francesco constructed his globes is
unknown. Vasari, however, informs us, as noted above, that the large one
was constructed for Andrea Navagero, who wished to present it to the
King of France, and that very shortly after his arrival in France on his
special mission his death occurred, which we know to have been the
eighth of May, 1529. It must therefore have been in that year that
Francesco completed the construction of his globe. It would be
interesting to know the geographical configuration of the New World as
laid down by Fracastro and Francesco on this large globe, remembering
that it was not long after the mission of Navagero to King Francis that
the first Cartier expedition sailed for the western continent. We cannot
be certain, as stated, of its geographical data, but it seems probable
that it followed the Verrazanian type as represented, for example, in
the Maiollo map of 1527, or in the Verrazano map of 1529.
The Lorraine Museum of Nancy possesses a fine globe, neither signed nor
dated, but which usually is referred to as the Nancy globe (Figs. 50,
50a), and is thought to have been constructed about the year 1530.[214]
It is a silver ball 16 cm. in diameter, divided on the line of the
equator into hemispheres, and is supported on a small statue of Atlas.
The equator, the tropics, the polar circles, the zodiac, and one
meridian circle passing through the western part of Asia in the Old
World and through the peninsula of Florida in the New World, are
represented. It is an object of interest not only for its scientific
value in giving us a geographical record of the period, but it is also
of interest for its fine workmanship, having its land areas gilded and
its seas blue enameled, in which sea monsters and ships of artistic
design appear. We have the record that in the year 1662, Charles IV,
Duke of Lorraine, presented it to the church of Nôtre Dame de Sion in
his residence city, and that by this church it was long used as a
pyx.[215] There is a striking resemblance of its land configurations,
and of its geographical nomenclature to that of the Gilt globe, of the
Wooden globe, and of the World map of Orontius Finaeus of 1531. The New
World is represented as a part of the Asiatic continent, and the central
section of that region, to which we may refer as North America, is
designated “Asia Orientalis” and “Asia Major.” To the east of these
names are numerous regional names, conspicuous among which are “Terra
Francesca,” “Hispania Major,” and “Terra Florida.” The Gulf of Mexico
appears as “Mare Cathayum.” Mexico bears the name “Hispania Nova,” while
the sea to the west is named “Mare Indicum Australe.” The South American
continent is called “America Nova,” and the names are very numerous
which have been given to the various sections, among which we find
“Terra Firma,” “Papagelli,” “Terra Canibale,” “Parias,” and “Peru
Provincia.” The large austral land bears the name “Brasielie Regio,”
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