Europae.

Beautifully colored map of the Europe from the 1579 edition of Ortelius’Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas of the world. Ortelius’ map of Europe became the model map for Europe maps for the next centuries, including here for the first time also the Scandinavian countries.
This first edition map is based upon several important maps of Europe, including Gerard Mercator's 1554 map of Europe. The map encompasses several highly decorative elements: a finely engraved cartouche shows a partially covered and apparently distraught Europa sitting on the back of Zeus in the form of a placid bull (he, the unwelcome lover of Europa), both gazing toward Europe, curious about its future.

Yurts and tents in remote Tartaria and an unusual design of compass rose at upper right. And also Iceland divided by a central river, monastery of St. Thomas in Greenland famous for its boiling springs, mythical islands of Brasil and Demar west of the British Isles.
The map extends to a severely distorted Caspian Sea - note the pictorial depiction of Mesopotamian Marshes in what is now Iraq. A tiny ship sails the Atlantic - despite measuring just 2 cm from the top of the mainmast to the waterline the master engraver incorporated a wealth of detail even into this minute decorative element. Attractive pictorial topography from the West to the East and the North to the South.

The 1579 edition was the first edition to be printed by the famous printing and publishing house of Christopher Plantin, the Officina Plantiniana, well-known for its high quality printing and publishing. In this auction, also the other continents from the 1579 edition, Africa, Asia, and America are offered, as well as the portrait of Ortelius issued for the first time in the atlas of 1579.

Reference: Broecke, Ortelius Atlas maps, 4.