Subject: South Atlantic Ocean
Period: 1696 (circa)
Publication:
Color: Black & White
Size:
11 x 17.8 inches
27.9 x 45.2 cm
This terrestrial gore of the South Atlantic depicts scenes of fishermen from Guinea and their various methods of fishing. It includes a variety of scenes of whaling and battling with sea monsters as well as different types of fishing boats. Amidst these elaborate illustrations is a scene of three nymphs carrying off a huge elephant tusk. The vignettes include legends and explanatory notes in Italian text, which is characteristic of Coronelli's globes. The tracks of Alexandre, Chevalier de Chaumont and the French Jesuits in 1685-86, on the first French embassy to Siam, are shown. Several small islands are located including Ascension and St. Helena. Isola Nuoua de S. Helena is also shown, which is an error common during this period. At bottom is Terra de Pappagalli (land of parrots) faintly engraved, which is a part of the mythical great southern continent. Vincenzo Coronelli was a Franciscan priest and renowned mathematician and cartographer. He was appointed official Cosmographer to the Venetian Republic in 1685 and founded the world's earliest geographic society, L'Accademia Cosmografica degli Argonauti. His is considered the one of the greatest map and globe makers of the 17th century.
References: Norwich #52.
Condition: A+
Fine impression with very faint printer's ink residue. There are a couple of stains in the blank margins, still overall fine.