© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London

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Object ID GLB0096

 

Description:

 

Terrestrial table globe. It forms a pair with the celestial globe, Mercator GLB0097. Geographical details on the sphere include loxodromes for 32 compass points.

 

The presumed magnetic pole is indicated and labelled, and the names of the major European cities are indicated by numbers, which are explained in a table. A number of stars are plotted on the globe and their names are given together with those on the celestial globe GLB0097. Asia and America are separated by an ocean. In the Americas there is a label, which refers to both North and South America. North America is labelled separately. There is a hypothetical southern continent with an explanation. A note on distances is located to the left of a pair of dividers at the equator in a cartouche. There are comments in seven different regions. There is a decorative bear in South America and many fish in the oceans, which are labelled in French Gothic handwriting in order to distinguish them from the names of islands. These fish apparently are not meant as the usual monsters. Six oceans are named.

 

This globe, and GLB0097, have been described as the most important pair of globes made in the 16th century. Both globes are outstanding on account of many novel features, including their exquisite lettering, and most importantly, because of their influence on other globe makers of the period. For full details about the cartography and construction of this globe please refer to the related publication. https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/19783.html

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Date made 1541

Artist/Maker Mercator, Gerardus

Place made Louvain

Credit © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Caird Collection

Materials papier mache; plaster; ink; varnish; metal; brass; wood; cloth; paper; lead; copper plate engraved; hand-coloured

Measurements Overall: 625 x 580 mm; Diameter of sphere: 420 mm

Parts Terrestrial table globe (GLB0096)

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1.5 million faces. Photographed using Cyreal Focus Stacking Multi Camera Rig. (840 images)

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