The two larger spheres on Nicolaes Visscher’s map are based on Blaeu’s large wall map of 1648. Visscher added the two smaller hemispheres showing the earth from the two poles, or in azimuthal projection schemes.

On the left sphere, California is shown as an island, and Alaska and the lakes of Canada do not appear at all. The Strait of Anian appears in northwest America. Described by Marco Polo, it was meant to be the first land reached after traversing the Northwest Passage through the Arctic. On the right sphere, the outlines of Australia and New Zealand are left unfinished, as are the coastlines of western America and eastern Asia, perhaps still allowing for the possibility that they are contiguous. The outline of Australia is recognisable but sketchy, and Visscher’s map was one of the first to completely eradicate the mythical southern continent of Terra Australis.

The borders by Berchem, created for Visscher’s map, weave together classical mythology and the elements. He signed the map in the lower left. The corners show the rape of Persephone (fire), Zeus enthroned (air), Demeter amongst the harvest (earth), and Neptune in his chariot (water). The whole is presided over by personifications of the elements supporting the two polar projections. The cycle also roughly corresponds to the passage of the seasons. 

Double-page engraved copperplate double-hemisphere map of the world, with contemporary hand-colour in full.

This is Nicolaes Visscher’s celebrated double-hemisphere map of the world, here with superb contemporary hand-colour in a very painterly hand. The map is surrounded by a lavishly decorated allegorical border, created especially for Visscher by Nicolaes Berchem (1620–1683), which set a new precedent for the high baroque style of decoration that distinguishes Dutch cartography of the later seventeenth century.

Visscher’s new map is largely based the 

’s large wall map of 1648. Visscher has added the two smaller hemispheres showing the earth from the two poles, reflecting contemporary demand for views of the world on different projections, based on Jodocus Hondius’ prototypes.

 in 1658, and remained unchanged in subsequent editions of the Visscher family’s '

 Contractus', and composite atlases. The map, and particularly its border, was modified in about 1679. 

First edition of Nicolaes Visscher’s double-hemisphere map of the world, contemporary hand-colour and surrounded by a decorated allegorical border, created for Visscher by Nicolaes Berchem, which set a new precedent for the high baroque style of decoration that distinguishes Dutch cartography of the later seventeenth century.

Visscher’s New World Map