Vincenzo Coronelli L'Africa divisa nelle sue Parti secondo le piu moderne, This is the first state

This is the first state of the beautiful map of Africa that was the first to show the origin of the Blue Nile. It was produced by Vincenzo Coronelli, a famous Italian cartographer.

  The title cartouche is depicted on a drape surrounded by native animals. A most noticeable feature of the decoration on the mainland is a scene consisting of a large piece of drapery containing information about the source of the Nile. To the right is a bearded Father Nile reclining against a bowl from which water is rushing over the back of a (Nile) crocodile.  

  Coronelli claims that this is the first map to accurately depict the sources of the Nile andhe was probably correct in respect of the Blue Nile. Coronelli's map also depicts a number of the earliest Ethiopian towns, cities, monasteries, and kingdoms, many of which still exist.

  Vincenzo Coronelli (1650-1718), was a Franciscan Friar and appointed General of the Order in 1701. He was cosmographer to the Republic of Venice, one of the most famous map and globe makers of the 17th century, and founder in 1680 of the Academia Cosmografica degli Argonauti, arguably the world's first geographical society . The map was issued in Coronelli's beautiful Atlante Veneto, dated 1690, but first published in 1691 - publication initiated in 1690 by Domenico Padouani, but completed in the next year by Girolamo Albrizzi. 

This is a landmark map in the history of the mapping of Africa, and, in particular, of the  Nile River which long had been depicted, according to the tradition of Ptolemy, to arise from lakes about the Mountains of the Moon. This beautiful map is in A+ condition; presented on two separate sheet and uncoloured - as issued. The halves readily can be joined so that there is no gap between them,

Reference: Richard Betz Mapping of Africa, 2007: map #153