A magnificent and highly detailed two-sheet map of Africa by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, one of the most celebrated Italian cartographers of the late seventeenth century. Published in Venice in 1691, this impressive map combines the latest geographical knowledge available to European cartographers with elaborate Baroque decoration.

The map depicts the African continent in two separate, unjoined sheets, extending from the Mediterranean coast in the north to the Cape of Good Hope in the south. Coronelli presents an exceptionally rich geographical image, incorporating numerous place names, rivers, mountain ranges, kingdoms, provinces, and indigenous territories. The coastlines are depicted with considerable detail, reflecting the accumulated knowledge of Portuguese, Dutch, and other European navigators, while the interior preserves a mixture of contemporary geographical information, travellers' accounts, and traditional cartographic conjecture.

Of particular interest is Coronelli's treatment of the Nile and its sources, a geographical question that continued to fascinate European scholars throughout the seventeenth century. As indicated in the title, the map incorporates recent accounts concerning the origin and course of the river. The Nile is shown flowing north through Nubia and Egypt, while its upper reaches reflect Europe's still imperfect understanding of northeastern Africa's interior. The depiction of the great lakes and river systems illustrates the transitional character of African cartography at the end of the seventeenth century, when traditional geographical concepts were gradually being reconsidered in the light of new reports.

The western sheet encompasses northwestern and western Africa, including the Barbary Coast, the Sahara, Guinea, and the Atlantic islands, together with part of west-central Africa. The eastern sheet covers northeastern, eastern, and southern Africa, including Egypt, Nubia, Abyssinia, the Horn of Africa, the East African coast, Madagascar, and the Cape of Good Hope. The surrounding seas are extensively labelled, and numerous explanatory notes provide additional geographical and historical information.

The map is distinguished by its magnificent decorative engraving. On the western sheet, an elaborate dedicatory cartouche takes the form of a large draped banner, surrounded by palm fronds and an assortment of African animals, including lions, an elephant, and a camel. The dedication is addressed to Colonna, Gran Contestabile, a prominent member of the Roman aristocracy. On the eastern sheet, a large allegorical composition features female figures, putti, and a flowing vessel that supports a richly ornamented explanatory panel. A further decorative cartouche, framed by graceful foliage, occupies the upper right corner.

Coronelli's characteristic engraving style is evident throughout, particularly in the finely delineated mountain ranges, carefully rendered coastlines, dense geographical nomenclature, and elegant lettering. The combination of geographical detail and theatrical Baroque ornament makes this one of the most impressive representations of Africa produced in late seventeenth-century Venice.

An outstanding example of late seventeenth-century Italian cartography, combining Coronelli's remarkable geographical scholarship with the decorative splendour of Venetian Baroque engraving.

Vincenzo Coronelli   (1650-1718)

Vincenzo Coronelli was born in Venice on 16 August 1650 and primarily brought up in Ravenna. He returned to Venice in 1665 and joined the convent of the Minor Conventuals. Five years later, he was sent to Rome to study, and by 1673, he was already a doctor of theology. 

Having achieved fame by constructing two globes for the Duke of Parma, he was invited to Paris for three years in 1681 and made two enormous examples for Louis XIV. On his return to Venice, he assiduously collected cartographic material and founded the Academy of the Argonauts. In 1685, he was appointed Cosmographer to the Republic of Venice and authorised to publish a large atlas. He became a geography lecturer at the University of Venice and brought out an Atlante Veneto the following year.

In 1696, he visited Germany, Holland and southern England. During intervals in compiling his vast encyclopaedia, he continued with cartographic projects up to 1709. He died in his native Venice on 9 December 1718.

Coronelli became famous for his globes. In addition, he was a renowned encyclopaedist, mapmaker and geographer. Most of his maps and other material are gathered in his Atlante Veneto (13 vols, 1690-1705). The first volume, subtitled Descrizione generale istorica geografica, was his masterpiece, planned as an extension of Blaeu’s atlas.

Other volumes of the atlas which contain maps are Isolario, two parts (1696-8), with detailed maps and plans, mostly of islands; Corso geografico, two parts based on the edition 1694-7; Libro de’ globi (1697); and Lo Specchio del Mare, a reprint of Levanto's Lo Specchio del Mare Mediterraneo of 1664.

The other vital aspects of his mapping are those arising from the Venetian conquest and his travels. His most extensive military compilation was the Teatro della Guerra, in more than 30 volumes.