Sardinien

Article description

Original antique copper engraving, uncolored, from the Mercator Atlas, published in Amsterdam, 1629. Depicting Sardinia, this map is a fine example of 1620s European cartography. Image: 34.5 x 23 cm (13.5 x 9 inches). An attractive and historically significant 17th-century map for the discerning collector. Gerard Mercator (1512–1594) was a Flemish cartographer and mathematician, celebrated as one of the most influential figures in the history of mapmaking. Born in Rupelmonde, he developed the Mercator projection in 1569—a cylindrical map projection that became the standard for nautical navigation and remains widely used today. His monumental 'Atlas sive Cosmographicae Meditationes de Fabrica Mundi' (1595), completed posthumously by his son Rumold, introduced the word 'Atlas' to cartography. Mercator's regional maps of Italy were refined and re-engraved for multiple editions of his atlas throughout the 17th century, offering collectors both scholarly precision and decorative elegance. His maps are held at the Royal Library of Belgium, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and major university collections worldwide. This copper engraving, uncolored map of Sardinia, published 1629, exemplifies the cartographic tradition of 1620s Europe. The map is engraved with careful attention to topographic detail, depicting towns, rivers, mountain ranges, and political boundaries with the precision expected of the finest cartographic productions of the period. The hand coloring highlights the geographic features and political divisions of Sardinia, making this an attractive piece for both the collector and the scholar. A fine example from Mercator Atlas / Cosmographicae Meditationes, Amsterdam, sought after by collectors of antique maps of Italy, antique maps of Sardinia, and antique copper engraving, uncoloreds for sale. In good condition consistent with age. Light age-toning to the sheet, as expected for a 17th-century engraving. Centerfold as published.

Mercator, Gerard – Sardinia · Copper Engraving, Uncolored · Mercator Atlas / Cosmographicae Meditationes, Amsterdam · 1629