A rare set of globe gores by Vincenzo Coronelli, this cartographic image is made entirely through copper engraving – the principal method for producing maps from the 16th to the 19th century. Produced in 1688, the magnitude of importance of this map’s production dates back to 1678, when Vincenzo Coronelli, a Franciscan friar with expertise spanning theology, wood engraving, mathematics, astronomy, and geography, was tasked with crafting a pair of substantial globes—measuring 175 cm in diameter each—for the Duke of Parma, an endeavor that showcased his multifaceted talents.
His work garnered such admiration that by 1681, Coronelli was summoned to Paris to undertake an even more ambitious project: crafting globes for the French monarch, Louis XIV, which were colossal in size, each boasting a diameter of 384 cm and weighing an astounding 2 tons. These majestic creations found their permanent residence in the French National Library.
The unparalleled quality of the globes commissioned for royal courts sparked widespread demand for Coronelli's work. Such was their renown that in 1688, he produced his "Librei di Globi", a publication featuring large 42-inch (110 cm) globe sections for both terrestrial and celestial spheres. While fewer than 20 fully assembled globes from Cornelli’s 1688 series have survived to this day, individual sections occasionally surface in the market, such as the presented globe gores of the Far East. This is a testament to the enduring legacy of Coronelli's masterful cartography.
(For the opposite page)
Title: Mapping the Mysteries of the East
Subtitle: On course with Coronelli