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Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula by Piscator from 1656

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Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula by Piscator from 1656, original engraving hand watercolored.

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Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula by Piscator – 1656, original engraving hand watercolored.
The necessity to represent general or detailed aspects of the terrestrial surface has plagued man since ancient times. Man has toiled in the search of more and more useful, practical and precise systems in order to geometrically portray the actual elements of the land together with their existing co-relationship on some type of medium, (for example, leather, wood, papyrus or paper). Scholars have thus given life to a vast bibliography concerning this subject.
The same cannot be said for the actual cartographic technique which regards the concepts and methods of graphic representation on any type of paper medium. For centuries the preparation of maps was the personal work of those who passionately dedicated
themselves to the design, creation and production of maps using their own methods. In order to reproduce and print them they used machines and methods that were available at that time. And even when this individual work gave way to collective manufacturing, due to new cartographic needs and the need for faster and more precise tools for reproduction, the technique for producing maps continued belong to a privileged few who employed the talents of a handful of experts without worrying about
divulging the methods and norms for obtaining the most valid results. This is why today we may evaluate both the technical and artistic differences of these experts resulting in an evaluation that, in relationship with the given historical period, determines a type of classification of both merit and method.
Nicolas Joannes Piscator (1587 – 1652), latinized name of Claes Janszoon Visscher, Dutch draftsman, engraver, cartographer and publisher, can surely be placed among the experts who contributed to the rebirth and mapmaking splendor that made up the 17th century. Even if one is not familiar with the works of this man, it is enough to observe this NOVA TOTIUS TERRARUM ORBIS GEOGRAPHICA AC HYDROGRAPHICA TABULA in order to come up with positive conclusion. In the 17th century , the known world was represented by the two classic hemispheres and also by limited territories. Piscator, unlike his contemporaries, chose to follow the representation like that was introduced by the famous Mercatore, which, by the way, is still valid for naval maps, (though, obviously, revised and corrected). Mercatore’s principal on which the isogonic cylindrical projection is
based can be described in the following way: The parallel arches are stretched in an inversely proportional relationship and gradually shorten on the sphere of the parallel arches, as they proceed from the Equator to the North and South Poles. The result is a net-like image in which the arches of the meridian get longer and longer as they reach the extreme and parallel latitudes and therefore grow farther and farther from each other. If we leave aside the technical aspect of this work, which is not particularly eye-catching, and direct our attention to its artistic aspect then we can only be amazed by it.
We can observe the entire world, (that was known at the time), with just one glance, without any solution of continuity. The various drawings found in the margins are noteworthy and give this work a serious if not imperial look to it. There are also allegorical figures found in the four corners of the map representing the continents and on the left and right margins there are alternating views of cities and figures in characteristic dress. On the top and bottom there is a series of Roman emperors.
Its first publication was in 1656 and today we have brought it to life again using the same techniques, materials and instruments used by Piscator. These include a manual press, finely engraved plates and 100% cotton paper. The map is mounted on cotton canvas and reflects the manufacturing procedure that was frequently used in the past thus ensuring a better preservation of the map itself and making it easier to carry them. Only the aging process, for obvious reasons, is not a part of Piscator’s production, (carried out with all natural substances).
The watercoloring paint gives the subject a polychromatic image of indubitable visual effect. It is thanks to the use of these materials and techniques that this work is recreated enabling it to renew the beauty and historical-cultural value of the original.

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