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The western part of the Indian Ocean, by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, 1693, from his system of *"global gores"*; with detailed scans of- *the cartouche*; *the Makran coast*; *the Gujarat coast*; *the northern Deccan the south
Summary
INDIA, 1692
This map is accompanied by interesting and helpful commentary from the dealer, *regiomontanus*:
Impero del Gran Mogol
60 x 45 cm copperplate engraving, 66 x 47.5 cm sheet size, modern hand colour, Venice, 1692
We are pleased to offer this scarce original map of the Mughal Empire (encompassing what is today northern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Burma) at the height of its power by Vincenzo Coronelli (1650-1718) of Venice, a Franciscan friar who also served as Royal Geographer to Louis XIV of France. Perhaps best known for his magnificent globes, Coronelli produced over 400 maps throughout his long career and this scarce and important map is an example of his meticulous emphasis on detail and accuracy while still retaining charming baroque embellishments. In 1684 Coronelli founded the first modern geographical society - the Accademia Cosmografica degli Argonauti, which eventually attained a membership of over 200 cartographers and scholars throughout Europe. The basic cartography follows the traditional 17th century Dutch "Magni Mogolis Imperium" format of essentially identical maps issued by Hondius, Blaeu, Jansson and others which were in turn based on British East India Company charts including a survey by the British explorer William Baffin. However, Coronelli also draws on Venetian sources for extensive text entries regarding different cities and peoples of the region that provides a rich portrait of European understanding of the Mughal Empire during the long reign of Emperor Aurangzeb. Coronelli's bold engraving style, the large format and charming decorative elements - all accentuated here by hand colour work of the very highest calibre - have deservedly made this one of the most sought after antiquarian maps of the region and this example will make an elegant presentation if matted and framed.
We begin our survey of the map with the handsome title cartouche featuring a martial theme - note "Cabul" (Kabul) in what is now Afghanistan:
A separate dedication cartouche honours Venetian statesman Girolamo Correr (aka Corraro), a patron of Coronelli's geographic academy:
Moving to the map itself we find the spurious Lake Chiang Mai or Lake Chiamay as the source for rough representations of the Yangtze, Mekong, Salween and Brahmaputra rivers - a fiction first reported by the Portuguese Antonio de Faria y Sousa in 1543. Coronelli's notation discusses seasonal, annual flooding:
Mouths of the Ganges:
Source of the Ganges - note variants of spelling for town names, with some listing as many as four:
Gulf of Khambhat - to get a sense of map detail consider that the distance from Chittaurgarh (here shown as "Chitor") to Burhanpur (here shown as "Brampore") at lower right as seen in the enlarged photo below measures just 8.5 cm actual size:
And people in the region near Kandahar are described as warlike:
The western part of the Indian Ocean, by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, 1693, from his system of *"global gores"*; with detailed scans of: *the cartouche*; *the Makran coast*; *the Gujarat coast*; *the northern Deccan*; *the south*
"Mare L Indiae. This original Globe Gore map section - from Coronelli's 42in Globe - of India, Persia, Oman and the Maldives was published by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli (1650 - 1718) in the 1693 Venice edition of Libro dei Globi. Plate size: - 11 ½in x 11in (295mm x 280mm)."
The British East India Company was the first joint-stock corporation to be formed in England, and it eventually became one of the most powerful trading companies in the world, with a virtual monopoly on trade in India and the East Indies. The East India Company or the British East India Company and informally as John Company was an English and later British joint-stock company, which was formed to pursue trade with the East Indies but ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and Qing China. After the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588, London merchants presented a petition to Queen Elizabeth I for permission to sail to the Indian Ocean. Permission was granted, and on 10 April 1591 three ships sailed from Torbay around the Cape of Good Hope to the Arabian Sea. On 31 December 1600, the Queen granted a Royal Charter to "George, Earl of Cumberland, and 215 Knights, Aldermen, and Burgesses" under the name, Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading with the East Indies. The governance of the company was in the hands of one governor and 24 directors or "committees", who made up the Court of Directors. They, in turn, reported to the Court of Proprietors, which appointed them. Ten committees reported to the Court of Directors. According to tradition, business was initially transacted at the Nags Head Inn, opposite St Botolph's church in Bishopsgate, before moving to India House in Leadenhall Street. The company played a key role in the spread of British influence in India and the development of the British Empire. However, it also became involved in corruption and exploitation, and it was eventually dissolved in 1858, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
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