Arnold Montanus*; 1625-1683.
Little is known about Montanus, a Jesuit priest and headmaster
at the Latin school of Schoonhoven, except for his publication
in 1671 in Amsterdam of his own atlas: "De nieuwe en onbekende
wereld". This compilation of extremely decorative maps, concentrated
on North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. Actually,
most of said maps were strongly influenced by the 1630's Blaeu
originals.
In turn Montanus was immediately copied by John Ogilby for
his own "An accurate description and complete history of America".
Some maps have been re-used by Pieter van der Aa in his "La
gallerie agréable du monde" (1729), and even later in the
1760's in the Covens & Mortier's "Nieuwe Atlas".
* seemingly no relation with Petrus Montanus (Pieter van
der Berg), text writer for Jodocus Hondius at the beginning
of the seventeenth century.
Porto Rico.
This mid sized bird's eye view (13 9/16" X 11 1/8") was
designed for the 1671 "ombekende wereld".
It shows the harbor and defenses of the town of San Juan in
Puerto Rico.
When Columbus discovered the island in 1493, he named it San
Juan Bautista.
Later, Juan Ponce de Leon established its capital city on
the north coast, at a beautiful anchorage, a "rich port":
(a) Puerto Rico.
In a few years time the name of the town was "switched", it
became San Juan, and the island became Puerto Rico.
This view of San Juan is actually a mirror image of the harbor,
with its main fortress of San Felipe del Morro on a buff at
the extremity of the protective peninsula.
Notice the flag flying over the castle in the foreground;
it bears the Cross of Burgundy which was the standard colors
for Spanish colonies.
No text on verso.
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