1597 Europa
DESCRIPTION
This is a finely engraved late 16th-century map Europe by Giovanni Antonio Magini for his Venetian edition of Ptolemy’s Geographia, presented as a unified continent shaped by classical geography and early modern geographic scholarship.
Issued in Venice beginning in 1596 and reprinted in closely related states through the end of the decade, the map was engraved on copper in a compact format intended for study and reference. Magini’s approach sought to modernize Ptolemaic geography while preserving its intellectual framework, resulting in a map that balances inherited classical structure with select contemporary refinements. The small plate size, dense labeling, and restrained design are characteristic of Magini’s scholarly atlases rather than decorative wall maps.
Europe is shown as part of a continuous Old World landmass extending eastward into Asia, consistent with Ptolemaic convention. Political regions and historic place names take precedence over modern national boundaries, with kingdoms, provinces, and classical territories clearly identified. Rivers such as the Danube and Rhine organize the interior, while mountain ranges are rendered pictorially rather than to scale. Northern regions, including Scandinavia, appear simplified, while eastern Europe and Tartary remain broad and loosely defined, reflecting the uneven geographic knowledge of the period.
Graduated scales of latitude and longitude frame the map, underscoring its scientific intent, while the accompanying Latin text titled Europæ Descriptio provides scholarly commentary on the continent’s geography and peoples. The map and text exemplify Magini’s role in bridging classical cartographic tradition and early modern geographic thought, offering a concise and intellectually driven view of Europe at the close of the 16th century.
CONDITION
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