La Grecia descritta […] dedicata all’Eccellenza del Signor Giovanni Lando

This map of Greece was prepared for Coronelli's monumental 13 volume ‘Atlante Veneto’, published 1690-96 in continuation of Blaeu's ‘Atlas Major’; the map was also included in his ‘Corso Geografico Universale’, ‘Il Medittaraneo’ and finally, c. 1708, his ‘Teatro della guerra. Morea, Negroponte, & Adiacenze’.

Zacharakis specifies that this last work was printed wiout text on the verso, and it is also the work which supplies the context to Venetian interest in the region: Venice conquered the Peloponnese from the Ottoman Empire during the Morean War 1684-99, and established the Kingdom of the Morea, which survived until 1715.

Franciscan scholar Vincenzo Coronelli (he was also an accomplished theologian) was among the leading map and globe makers of his age, making full and innovative use of the latest geographical information. A brief spell in Paris, for example, as cartographer to Louis XIV between 1681-83, gave him access to original material in the French archives including material gathered by Jesuit travellers such as La Salle.

In 1684, back in his home city of Venice, Coronelli founded the first geographical society, the Academia Cosmografica degli Argonauti, and in 1685 he was appointed Cosmographer to the Republic of Venice. He is noted for the quality of composition and engraving of his maps, as well as their content.

Condition & Materials

Copper engraving, 46 x 62 cm, black and white, blank verso.

References

Zacharakis 1039/672

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Coronelli’s Map of Greece