Afrique de l'Ouest - The western coast of Africa, from Senegal and The Gambia to the Gulf of Biafra; Jodocus Hondius - Afrique de l'Ouest - Gravure sur cuivre, coloris d'époque - Jodocus Hondius - Navire hollandais - 1621-1650

Ancient copper-engraved map of Guinea (west coast of Africa, Gulf of Guinea) hand-coloured by Hondius, published in 1633 in the Mercator-Hondius atlas.

Here one sees the coast of Senegambia in the Gulf of Biafra, with the Niger River, the kingdoms of the interior (Mandinga, Melli, Benin) and the reliefs depicted in perspective.
A Dutch ship with a tricolor flag and a sail-powered pirogue animate the sea.
The large title cartouche, the scale in Spanish leagues and in German miles, as well as the calligraphic initials ornament the ocean.
A detail inset shows the island of São Tomé. The islands of Príncipe and Fernando Po are also depicted.

- Dimensions: on the sheet: 56 x 47.5 cm; on the map plate: 46.9 x 35.3 cm
- Condition: Very good overall condition for a map of this period. Presence of a central vertical crease, light stains and small marks. See photos for more details.

Atlas Mercator-Hondius
- The atlas called “Mercator-Hondius” continues the work of Gerard Mercator, whose copperplates were purchased by Jodocus Hondius in 1604. This French edition of 1633 is signed by his son Henricus Hondius and his son-in-law Joannes Janssonius, who augmented it with new maps.

Jodocus Hondius
- Jodocus Hondius (Wakken, 1563 – Amsterdam, 1612) was a Flemish engraver, cartographer and publisher. Based in London around 1584, he frequented geographical circles there, then returned to Amsterdam in 1593. In 1604, he acquired Mercator’s copperplates and published in 1606 an expanded edition of the atlas, which took the name Mercator-Hondius. His sons and Johannes Janssonius (his brother-in-law) continued the editions after his death.