[China] Imperii Sinarum nova descriptio. Auctore. Joh van Loon

Book Description

[Amsterdam: Jansson, circa 1658]. Hand-coloured copper engraved map. Good condition. 19 3/4 x 23 1/2 inches. A good copy of this rare early map of China. This attractive and important map was first published in Jansson's Atlas Novus in 1658, but remains relatively rare as it appeared in only a few editions of the atlas. It was re-issued from the 1690s onwards by Valk & Schenk who added their imprint to the plate just under the sea-battle between the two western ships off the coast of Hainan. The map was drawn by cartographer Jan van Loon who managed to improve on earlier maps with greater accuracy and more detail: in particular, the coast around Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou is very carefully mapped. The two charming vignettes are particularly attractive: merchants and scholars support the title cartouche, whilst putti and winged mer-children frolic around the scale panel. Jan van Loon was a mathematician, astronomer and chart maker, who worked on the Pilot Books for Jansson and published two sea atlases on his own. Van der Krogt 8410:1C

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