A Magnificent Wall Map of the Holy Land, Jan Jansson and Georg Horn, Amsterdam: [1658 or later]

Engraved map on 6 sheets: 4 sheets approximately 16 7/8 x 21 7/8 in.; 430 x 530 mm, 2 sheets approximately 16 7/8 x 27 5/8 in.; 430 x 702 mm, joined as intended in a wall map, overall 33 7/8 x 69 3/8 in.; 860 x 1762 mm; captions of the lower three sheets obscured by the join; richly hand-colored with biblical scenes of the four burning cities (Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim) and topographical features. Matted, glazed, and framed; not examined outside of the frame. 

This exceptional wall map of the Holy Land was modeled after Christian Kruik van Adrichem’s (1533-1585) Situs Terrae Promissionis. It shows the region divided among the Twelve Tribes on both sides of the Jordan River, the shoreline running from Sidon to Alexandria. The Kishon River is depicted as connecting the Sea of Galilee with the Mediterranean, and the four burning cities have been placed in the midst of the Dead Sea. Inset maps in the upper corners depict the wanderings of the Israelites through the Wilderness (right) and Abraham’s journey to Canaan (left). The maps first appeared in Jan Jansson’s (1588-1664) Accuratissima orbis antiqui delineatio in 1652 (without Georg Horn’s [1620-1670] text) and in 1653 (with the text).

Literature

Koeman II:500; Laor 343-349; Me 177 A: 23L, 29N, 33P, 39R, 49U, 51X