Coronelli, Vincenzo Maria | "Epitome Cosmografica." With the 6 circular celestial and terrestrial charts

Coronelli, Vincenzo Maria

Epitome cosmografica, o Compendiosa introduttione ll''stronomia, geografia, & idrografia. Cologne [but, Venice]: for Andrea Poletti, at Venice, 1693

4to (183 x 126 mm). Additional engraved title-page, 31 full-sheet engraved plates, one with volvelles, and 6 engraved folding circular celestial and terrestrial charts; some scattered soiling, a very few short tears and separations for folding charts. Contemporary French speckled calf, spine gilt in five compartments, plain endpapers, brown-sprinkled edges; some neat restoration to joints and extremities.

First edition. Coronelli founded the Accademia Cosmografica degli Argonauti in Venice in 1684 and was cosmographer to the Republic of Venice. He was a prolific globe- and mapmaker, most notable for the globes he constructed for Louis XIV, displayed at Marny and then Versailles.

This work is predominantly an expansion of lectures Coronelli gave before the Accademia cosmografica, and is divided into three books. The first is on astronomy and the points of the compass. The second deals with the geography of the countries of the world and natural phenomena such as earthquakes. The last book concerns the globes, armillary spheres, and astrolabes made by Coronelli and others, which are the subjects of several of the engravings.

A very good copy with the challenging folding circular charts in particularly good state.

REFERENCES:

European Americana 693/50; Houzeau & Lancaster 8006; Riccardi I, 374–375