Johannes Blaeu's superb double-hemisphere world map

BLAEU, Johannes.

Nova et Accuratissima Totius Terrarum Orbis Tabula.
Amsterdam, 1662, Latin text edition. Original colour. 415 x 540mm, with wide margins.

A very fine example of Johannes Blaeu's new double-hemisphere world map, drawn up replace the map first issued by his father Willem in 1606 and used in their atlases from 1630.
This new map is a great departure in style, being double-hemisphere rather than on the former's Mercator Projection. Above the map are allegorical figures of the planets, the sun & moon, with two cartographers at the sides. Underneath are allegorical figures of the Four Seasons, each drawn by either birds or animals. The cartography is much improved, with the removal of the Great Southern Continent and the addition of the pre-Cook outlines of Australia and New Zealand. Unfortunately Blaeu has chosen to show California as an island, dropping the peninsular depiction of his father.
This example comes from the first issue of the 'Atlas Major', the first atlas to contain this map.

SHIRLEY: World 428.
Stock ID : 22631