Problem datacji map Polski Gerarda de Jode z drugiej połowy XVI wieku

Artykuł dotyczy analizy treści map Polski Gerarda de Jode ukazujących się w jego atlasach i samoistnych z drugiej połowy XVI wieku. Badania przeprowadzono stosując trzy metody analityczne: graficzną-analizę siatki zniekształceń; porównawczą analizę treści hydrograficznej oraz lingwistyczną - stosując tablice synoptyczne. Uzyskane wyniki pozwoliły na uściślenie datacji poszczególnych map oraz ustalenie zależności filiacyjnych.

The article analyzes the contents of maps of Poland published by Gerard de Jode, one of the three famous atlas publishers of the 16th century. Three methods of contents analysis were applied: graphic - distortion grid, comparative - hydrographic contents were analyzed and linguistic - filiation relations of particular maps were established with the use of synoptic charts. Until now the map dated 1576, with a visage of king Stefan Batory was considered to be the first map of Poland published by Gerard de Jode. The second was presumably published in Gerard de Jode's first atlas Speculum Orbis Terrarum of 1578. The third was to be the map with a visage of king Sigismund III Vasa in his third atlas, published posthumously in 1593. The conducted research, based mainly on the analysis of water network - rivers, lakes and the Baltic coastline, established, that the first map was actually published in the atlas of 1578 (the area of Prussia was drawn basing on the map of Prussia by Heinrich Zell, edited by Abraham Ortelius, 1570). The map published second was dated 1576, which marks the beginning of the reign of king Stefan Batory (whose visage was placed on the map). This is evident in the contents of the map in the area of Prussia, which is characteristic for the map of Prussia by Kasper Henneberger of 1576. It can be assumed that it was published between 1578 and 1586 (death of king Stefan Batory). The third of Gerard de Jode's maps is the map of Poland published in the atlas of 1593, with the same contents, but with a visage of a new king, Sigismund III Vasa. Unlike his competitor, publisher Abraham Ortelius, Gerard de Jode introduced numerous updates to his maps using the most recent sources available at the time. Abraham Ortelius added new maps to his atlases, but did not update the already existing ones.