Russiae, Moscoviae et Tartariae Descriptio

Start Zooming
  • About the work
    Location
    Country: Other
    City: other locations abroad

    This highly decorative, illustrated map of Russia was first published as part of the atlas ‘Teatrum Orbis Terrarum’ (‘Theatre of the World’; published 1570), by Flemish cartographer and geographer Abraham Ortelius (1527-1598).Teatrum Orbis Terrarum’, which has been described as a ‘compendium of maps’, is considered to be the first modern atlas, i.e. the first systematic representation of the entire world. The work consisted of 70 engraved maps, each based on a previously published example, and listed the 87 known cartographers whose contributions were included. The maps, which each had an explanatory text on the back, were bound together in book format. As the 31 subsequent editions were published, the atlas grew considerably larger. A version published in 1612 included 167 maps and gave 183 bibliographical references.

  • About the artist
    Navigator, astronomer, merchant and cartographer Anthony Jenkinson was born in Market Harborough, Leicestershire; the son of an owner of inns. After training for a mercantile career, he was appointed Captain-General of four ships of the Muscovy Company (which held a monopoly on trade between England and Muscovy). He travelled to Russia in 1557-58 with the then Ambassador, Osip Nepea, to explore trading routes. He spent four months in North Russia, before travelling on to Moscow. In 1562 his ‘Nova Absolutaque Russiae, Moscoviae, et Tartartiae Descriptio’, engraved by Nicholas Reynolds, was published. It is the earliest known surviving map engraved by an Englishman. Most of the map was used in Abraham Ortelius’ ‘Teatrum Orbis Terrarum’.
  • Explore
  • Details
    Title
    Russiae, Moscoviae et Tartariae Descriptio
    Date
    1562
    Medium
    Engraving
    Dimensions
    height: 46.00 cm, width: 58.00 cm
    Acquisition
    Bequest of Noel H. Marshall, 2008
    Provenance
    Bequest of Noel H. Marshall CMG, 2008
    GAC number
    18238