Americae Peruvi Aque Ita ut Postremum Detecta Traditur Recens Delineatio is Cornelis de Jode’s striking vision of a newly apprehended world: one of the very first maps to portray South America alone, and the first of the continent to appear in a large commercial atlas. Issued in 1578 from the de Jode workshop that challenged Ortelius for primacy, it fuses fresh reports from pilots and chroniclers with the classical scaffolding of cosmography. The continent floats like a cut gem, its coasts clenched by the Atlantic and South Sea, while a commanding cartouche announces a learned enterprise. Here, discovery becomes design: political ambition, natural grandeur, and maritime daring distilled into a singular Renaissance image.

De Jode organizes the land into kingdoms—Peru, Benzula, Brasil, Chili, and the far-spanning New Spain—signaling the imperial architecture taking root across the Americas. The great Andean backbone is marched across the page in tactile serrations, rivers unfurl as trade arteries, and city toponyms assert a new order of power and pilgrimage. Two intimate urban views anchor this continental stage: Cusco, seat of Inca memory and Spanish administration, and Mexico City, “Messico,” set upon its famed lakes. Their presence yokes South America’s transformation to a wider imperial system, where capitals, corridors, and commodities bind ocean to ocean under Spanish and Portuguese governance.

The composition’s near-diamond framing amplifies the sense of a discovered treasure, while a lavish strapwork cartouche in the upper right proclaims title and scholarship in the confident idiom of Antwerp print culture. Around the shores, sea monsters curl from myth into margin, emblems of both wonder and warning, as European ships tack and duel—miniature theaters of rivalry that mirror the geopolitical stakes inscribed on land. Decorative flourishes never overwhelm the geography; instead they stage it, guiding the eye from headline to headland, from allegory to evidence, in a choreography characteristic of late sixteenth-century luxury cartography.

Hydrography and relief are the map’s narrative engines. The Amazon’s sprawling lattice hints at the immensity of the interior, the Orinoco and Río de la Plata trace gateways to imagined riches, and the Andean chain keys the continent’s climate and culture in a single rugged glyph. Coastlines, finely crenellated, attest to mariners’ hard-won soundings, especially along Brazil and the Caribbean approaches. Central America and the islands—stepping-stones of conquest and commerce—are labeled with a colonizer’s vocabulary, framing South America’s stage with the ports, passages, and provisioning points that powered transatlantic exchange.

Historically, this sheet distills a European understanding still in flux: a synthesis of Ptolemaic habits and “modern” discoveries refined by the de Jode family’s editorial ambition. Gerard de Jode’s determination to rival Ortelius and Cornelis’s crisp engraving fostered an atlas where empirical novelty met intellectual poise. The spellings—Benzula, Chili—preserve the language of encounter; the urban views of Cusco and Mexico City broadcast imperial legitimacy; the ships and monsters confess both mastery and uncertainty. As a whole, the map reads as a manifesto of the age of exploration: measured, myth-limned, and unmistakably attuned to the politics and possibilities of a newly charted hemisphere.

Countries and regions on this map

• South America (the continent as a whole)
• Peru
• Venezuela (Benzula)
• Brazil
• Chile (Chili)
• Mexico (New Spain)
• Central America
• Regions depicted in the Caribbean Sea

Notable Features & Landmarks

• Highly ornate strapwork cartouche in the upper right corner displaying the title and publication details.
• Two inset illustrations:
• Cusco (left) depicted as a significant urban center.
• Mexico City (right), labeled as Messico, illustrating its lakes and urban design.
• Detailed representation of various river systems and mountainous regions.
• Decorative elements of mythical sea creatures in the surrounding waters.
• Illustrations of European ships, some engaged in battle, indicating colonial rivalry.
• Numerous labeled geographical features with names reflective of the colonial context and historical knowledge at the time.

Historical and design context

• Title: Americae Peruvi Aque Ita ut Postremum Detecta Traditur Recens Delineatio
• Mapmaker: Cornelis de Jode
• Date Created: 1578
• Historical importance: First map of South America to appear in a large commercial atlas; among the earliest to depict the continent alone.
• Mapmaker context: Gerard de Jode (Cornelis’ father) sought to compete with Ortelius’ atlas; together they shaped late 16th-century cartography.
• Themes shown: Political and physical geography; highlights areas governed by the Spanish and Portuguese during the age of exploration.
• Design/style: Near-diamond composition with dense topographical engraving.
• Historical context: Reflects the European understanding of South America in the mid-16th century, informed by earlier geographical findings.

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 70in (180cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.