Bordone, Benedetto
1534

Very early chart of Lesbos or Lesvos, Greece

DESCRIPTION: One of the earliest printed maps of Lesbos / Lesvos, a Greek island in the northeastern Aegean Sea on a full page of text. Oriented with the east at the top, coverage includes Lesbos, and across the Edremit Gulf ("Colpho Adramatino"), the Ayvacik district of the Çanakkale Province of Turkey.

Perhaps the most interesting feature is that Bordone's map may be the earliest printed map to locate and name the Homeric Bronze-age city of Troy, although Bordone places Troy a bit farther south than its true location. On the mainland, in Turkey, near "Capo S. Maria" or present-day Babakale, the map shows a site "troia" with broken columns indicating ruins. Sonetti published an earlier map of Lesbos which inspired Bordone's map but there is no indication of ruins in that location, nor are there place names.

Shows the capital of Mitilini / Mytilene ("Metelini") somewhat misplaced to the northeast of the island. A bit to the west (on Bordonne's map) of Mitilini "la tore in mare" denotes a lighthouse in the sea. Nearby Mitilini, Bordone locates a hilltop church "Saint Theodoro". Saint Theodore is the patron saint of Mytilini.

Published from Venice in 1534 in the second edition of Benedetto di Bordone's 'Isolario', or "Island Book". The various editions of the Isolario were published using the same wood-block plates and each edition is differentiated from the other by the location of the page breaks within the text. The Isolario provided nautical-chart inspired maps of islands alongside information for travellers on their culture, myths, climate, and history.

Bordone (1460-1531) was a Paduan cartographer, and an illustrator of manuscripts, best known for his 'Isolario' or book of islands. Bordone's work was only the second isolario ever printed, the first being that of Bartolommeo Dalli Sonneti published in 1485. Text in Italian.

CREATOR: Bordone, Benedetto

PUBLICATION DATE: 1534

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Greece

BODY OF WATER: Aegean Sea

CONDITION: Very good. Image is clean on a full sheet of chain-laid paper. A few finger smudges in the margins. No major condition issues. One marginal note in ink.

COLORING: None

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 5 " x 6 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 2

PRICE: $375

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