ITALY A NEW MAP OF PRESENT ITALY
Sold
Attractive and uncommon copper engraving from “A New Sett of Maps both of Antient and Present Geography”, dedicated by Wells, a mathematician and teacher of geography at Christchurch, Oxford, to his eleven year old pupil William Duke of Gloucester.Attractive cartouche.Compass divider etc.Hand colour.Very good condition. ARCHIVEcode : M1285
Cartographer : Edward
Date : 900/ 1700 Oxford
Size : 37.5*50cms
availability : Sold
Price : Sold
Edward Wells (1667-1727) authored "A New Sett Of Mapps Of Ancient And Present Geography ..." in 1700.
Wells was a teacher of mathematics and geography at Christchurch College, Oxford University. He compiled the "New Sett Of Mapps" notable for the parallel maps of classical and contemporary geography.
The maps are all dedicated to the eleven year old William, Duke of Gloucester, a student of his at Oxford at the time, whose mother later became Queen Anne. Unfortunately, all seventeen of her children, including William, predeceased her.
The maps are very much intended as a tool in teaching geography, with less emphasis on, and requirement for, great geographical detail. The maps, engraved in the main by Michael Burghers, the engraver to the University of Oxford, have an unsophisticated charm, which makes them very popular with modern collectors.
