A particularly attractive example of this beautiful hand-coloured engraved map, published by Plantin in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, editions of which appeared from 1570 onwards. First published in this form in 1572, this is the second issue of this map, which appeared two years later, and can be identified by the spelling "farfana" without initial capital and without the placename "Ara" appearing NW of Aden. Plantin's Theatrum, the first modern geographical atlas, is supposed to have been, at its first publication, the most expensive book ever printed. This was the first time that maps of standard size and format had been published in the one atlas. The Asia map encompasses a wide spread, from Crete in the Mediterranean at top left to the NW corner of Australia at bottom right ("Terrae incognitae australis pars"). The western part of New Guinea is well delineated as are the islands of the East Indies. A distended Japan is at top right. The titling cartouche is within a monumental border at lower left, just above Madagascar ("Insul S. Laurentii").

A particularly attractive example of this beautiful hand-coloured engraved map, published by Plantin in his Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, editions of which appeared from 1570 onwards. First published in this form in 1572, this is the second issue of this map, which appeared two years later, and can be identified by the spelling "farfana" without initial capital and without the placename "Ara" appearing NW of Aden. Plantin's Theatrum, the first modern geographical atlas, is supposed to have been, at its first publication, the most expensive book ever printed. This was the first time that maps of standard size and format had been published in the one atlas. The Asia map encompasses a wide spread, from Crete in the Mediterranean at top left to the NW corner of Australia at bottom right ("Terrae incognitae australis pars"). The western part of New Guinea is well delineated as are the islands of the East Indies. A distended Japan is at top right. The titling cartouche is within a monumental border at lower left, just above Madagascar ("Insul S. Laurentii").