1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
The American Geographical Society Library (AGSL) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee possesses a copy of the Rome Geography, dated to 1508, and which contains a State 3C version of the Ruysch World Map.
On November 20, 2024, the AGSL kindly let the author examine a few cartographic works with a digital microscope. Only a few images were captured during the examination of the Ruysch map.
The Ptolemy Geography containing the Ruysch World Map has been scanned and is available online, however, the world map was not included in the scan. Fortunately, the map was within the Geography.
Two days prior, on November 18, the author had examined a Ruysch World Map held at the James Ford Bell (JFB) Library at the University of Minnesota, so the author had a firm idea of what areas and features to screen on the map in Milwaukee.
The map image on this slide is a facsimile produced sometime in the 20th century.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
The State 1508/3C map held at the American Geographical Library in Milwaukee, WI. SANCTA ODULFI was engraved.
The SANCTI ODULFI church was a precursor of S. TOMAS ZENOBIUS church, in Greenland, on the 1558 Zeno Map. On Ruysch’s map, the SANCTI ODULFI church’s northern latitude is within the 2nd Greenland vignette, this first seen on Donnus Nicolas Germanus’ cartographic works of the late 15th century. SANCTI ODULFI, via its proxy-latitude positioning corresponding to approximately 72°, represents the North American Baptistery (Newport Tower).
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
There were no significant findings in this area of the map, which is the Narragansett Bay region of North America.
In contrast, the JFB-held world map did have some additional features added by the colorist.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
There were no significant findings in this area of Iceland – just the baseline map as it was printed.
In contrast, the JFB-held world map did have some additional coloring added by the colorist.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This is BIGGETU IN[SULA] outside of Narragansett Bay. The bottom of the microscopic image is the upland of North America, the top is the ocean side (refer to the Library of Congress (LoC) image of the map on the right).
On the interior of BIGGETU IN[SULA] is a Monopoly-style structure. The rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure is topped by a triangular roof. A thin line projects from the RH, lower side of the triangular roof. This is, effectively, a tower icon, thinly and intermittently traced. This is a miniature feature.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This is BIGGETU IN[SULA] outside of Narragansett Bay. The bottom of the microscopic image is the upland of North America, the top is the ocean side (refer to the Library of Congress (LoC) image of the map on the right).
On the interior of BIGGETU IN[SULA] is a Monopoly-style structure. The rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure is topped by a triangular roof. A thin line projects from the RH, lower side of the triangular roof. This is, effectively, a tower icon, thinly and intermittently traced. This is a miniature feature.
Anthony Greb worked this image
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This is BIGGETU IN[SULA] outside of Narragansett Bay. The bottom of the microscopic image is the upland of North America, the top is the ocean side (refer to the Library of Congress (LoC) image of the map on the right).
On the interior of BIGGETU IN[SULA] is a Monopoly-style structure. The rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure is topped by a triangular roof. A thin line projects from the RH, lower side of the triangular roof. This is, effectively, a tower icon, thinly and intermittently traced. This is a miniature feature.
Anthony Greb worked this image
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This is BIGGETU IN[SULA] outside of Narragansett Bay. The bottom of the microscopic image is the upland of North America, the top is the ocean side (refer to the Library of Congress (LoC) image of the map on the right).
On the interior of BIGGETU IN[SULA] is a Monopoly-style structure. The rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure is topped by a triangular roof. A thin line projects from the RH, lower side of the triangular roof. This is, effectively, a tower icon, thinly and intermittently traced. This is a miniature feature.
Anthony Greb worked this image
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This is BIGGETU IN[SULA] outside of Narragansett Bay. The bottom of the microscopic image is the upland of North America, the top is the ocean side (refer to the Library of Congress (LoC) image of the map on the right).
On the interior of BIGGETU IN[SULA] is a Monopoly-style structure. The rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure is topped by a triangular roof. A thin line projects from the RH, lower side of the triangular roof. This is, effectively, a tower icon, thinly and intermittently traced. This is a miniature feature.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
The thin and intermittently traced line which represents the division between the roof and the rectangular-ish, or square-ish bottom of the structure, contains a smaller, rectangular feature. This by itself, could have been intended to represent a rectangular tower icon (or perhaps not). This feature is quite small.
Anthony Greb worked these images
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
There are two additional tower icon features on BIGGETU IN[SULA]. Steve DiMarzo noted these…
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
Steve DiMarzo worked this image
Pat,
It sure looks like a tower with a window. You can even see the slanted stones in the arch at the bottom.
I agree with Steve on this. This miniature tower icon feature was tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side.
Steve DiMarzo worked these images
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
Pat,
It sure looks like a tower with a window. You can even see the slanted stones in the arch at the bottom.
I agree with Steve on this. This miniature tower icon feature was tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
Anthony Greb worked this image
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Anthony Greb worked this image
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Anthony Greb worked this image
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Anthony Greb worked these images
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Anthony Greb worked these images
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
This miniature tower icon feature tucked into the coastal boundary of BIGGETU IN[SULA] on the landward-side has the characteristics of a cylinder tower with a lower v-notch.
Pat,
This pic is turned 180°, and I double magnified this one and you can see the actual columns with a tall spire.
Digital Microscope Image
1507-8 Johannes Ruysch
[World Map, State 3C)
American Geographical Society Library
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries
Anthony Greb worked these images
Steve DiMarzo worked these images
This last miniature feature is quite difficult to pick up on. Steve DiMarzo called it out after placing his magnifier onto the snippet image. There appears to be a tower icon tucked into the coastal boundary. Anthony Greb amplified this feature on his worked snippets but did not call the feature out.
Given that Ruysch, or the colorist, had illustrated miniature tower icons elsewhere on BIGGETU IN[SULA], this feature is more likely than not – despite its vague definition – another tower icon.