Ortelius world map, colour copy (1572)

This map, created by Abraham Ortelius, is part of the atlas. Theatre of the World from 1570.

This world map by Ortelius is one of the most influential of the 16th century, with multiple copies published and translated into several languages. Before Ortelius' death in 1598, at least 25 editions were published, and demand remained high until 1612.

This colour copy of the world map is taken from a German version of the atlas, published in 1572. Bright colours were used to differentiate between the five continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa), as well as multiple colours for the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

The landmass shown at the bottom is not a representation of Antarctica, whose existence was unknown in the 16th century, but rather a representation of the Terra Australis. You can read more about her in this article..