Insula Aenaria Hodie Ischia

THE FIRST MAP OF ISCHIA, outlined and engraved by Mario Cartaro in 1586 on cartographic information provided to him by Giulio Iasolino.

In the top centre, under the upper border, the title: Insula Aenaria Hodie Ischia is engraved. In the upper left frame, with the coat of arms of the Feltria della Rovere family, is the dedication: Ill.mae et Excell.mae D. Isabellae Feltriae de Ruvere Bisiniani Principi Iulius iazzolinus S.P.D. Multos fore arbitreor Ill.ma et Excell.ma Princeps, qui meum hoc schema, et de Balneis opus usque adeo non probent ut etiam reprehensione dignum putent: quando quidem in Universu[m] eos omnes damna[n]t, qui post plurimus, celeberrimosa auctores novi aliquid de Balneis te[n]tare hoc tempore, aut scribere audent Nam supervacaneum esse putant quae dudum ab alijs scripta sunt, eaiteru[m] repetere, temerariu[m] putare, aliquem se quicquam videre, quo dilli oculatissimi no[n] viderint. Quoru[m] sane[m] cogitatio, et oratio me no[n] magnopere mouet, sed potius animus suoe synceritatis sibi probe co[n]scius nihil horrescit, nihil quae pavitat. Eterum cu[m] celeberrima piscis scriptoribus Ischia Insula fuerit quae ab Homero…a Strabone a Plinio Aenaria nu[n]cupatur, incolas olim habuit ditissimos quando quidem Insulae tellus anrifossionu[m] et terrae frugu[m] feracissima fuit. Veru[m] quniam apud antiquos et neotericos scriptores, qui de hac Insula meminere, ut inter alios auctor est Ioannes Clysius, no[n] nisi decem et octo in ea praesidia naturalia numera[n]tur, cu[m] tame[m] revera quinquaginta nove[m] hucusque a nobis reperta, examinata et experta proesidia fuerint. Quoru[m] quadraginta quidem, et unu[m] ab alijs forsan omissa, seu poenitus incognita sine id temporis iniuria acciderit, sine locor[um] cluvioribus, et ince[n]dijs aut bellor[um] ruinis, quas plurimas misera Italia et praecipue haec Insula sup[er]irorbus temporibus passa fuit, Strabone et Pontano testibus sive novis nunc terre[m] et naturae eruptionibus emerserint, nos certe[m] omniu[m] primi illa hoc tempore deteximus, ac illustravimus siquidem sudatoria decem et novem humanis corporibus saluberrima, quinque medicatas arenas ad saburrationu[m] usu[m] toto orbe celeberrimas, et triginta quinque calidos medicatos fontes pro innumeris morbor[um] generibus profliga[n]dis preciosissimos reperimus et novis quidem exp[er]im.tis de cora.nimus interalios Doiani, seu Ulmitelle balneum quod ad auriu[m] nariumq[uae] morbosas affectiones cuna[n]das principem locu[m] tenet, cuius miram uim atque profectu[m] probe novit Ex.ta tua in suis maleaffectis naribus praeter opinione[m] doctissimor[um] alior[um] medicor[um]. Ill.ma et Ex.ma Catharina Urisna Scaleae Princeps simili et peiori nariu[m] morbodiu vexata et ab alijs medicis derelicta no[n] sine magna omnium admiratione in eodem balneo curata fuit, ut sane iure merito hoc in posteru[m] balneu[m] Principu[m] dici mereatur. Ne igitur post hac locus adeo[m] celebris et divinae providentiae ac naturae insignis, atque tantor[um] praesidior[um] naturaliu[m] auxilio, tamquam tutissimus salutis portus obsolescat et obscuretur Insulae totius imaginem hanc, et descriptionem paravimus. Praesertim cu[m]videamus male Ieona huius saluberrimae, pulcherrimae q[uam] Insulae a neotericis scriptoribus, quos Insularios vocant, omissam, et tamen verissimum est, ha[n]c Insula[m] inter viginti quinque fere alias, quas huius Neapolitani Regni numerant locor[um] magnitudine, coeli cleme[n]tia, soli foecu[n]ditate, mineris, et fodinis auri, argenti, aluminis, salis, chalcanti, et reru[m] aliar[um] plurimar[um] quas in nostro opere satius explicavimus, optimis generosissimisq[uam] Vinis, praesertim sorbines, ac graecis reliquas omnes lo[n]go intervallo superare Supersu[n]t etia[m] num Cumanorum ruinae Vestigia: Namq[uam] si scriptoribus credimus, eretrie[n]ses simul et Caladenses ab et ubora venientes, huc applicuerunt et Pythecusas primo postea Cumas habitarunt unde Virgilius 6: Aen: et ta[n]dem Euboicis Cumaru[m] allabitur oris. In medio Insulae celeberrimus et maximus est mo[n]s Epomoeiis, suo quo sepultu[m] iacere Typhonee[m] a Iove percussu[m] no[n] sine mysterio poetae fabulantur, vel Strabo Pyndari auctoritate tradit et Virgilius: 9. Aen. Tum sonitu Prochita alta tremit duru[n]que cubile Inarime Iovis imperijs imposta Typhaeo. Haec in nostro opere copiose tractavimus et etia[m] ea, quae de Pythec.sis tua.dunt Suidas, Plinius, Strabo, Volaterranus, Homerus, Virgilius, Lucanus, Ioannes Elisius Solena[n]der, Phaloppius, Andreas Baccius, sigillatim patefecimus Descriptionem itaque hanc aeneis formis incisam in publicu[m] prodire sub tuo sacro nomine curavimus vel sicuti Viri doctissimi hactenus maiores tuos genere, sapie[n]tia, et Virtute illustrissimos suis ingenior[um] monume[n]tis posteritati commindarunt, praecipueq[uam] serenissimu[m] principem Urbinatu[m] Ducem optimu[m], fratrem tuum amatissimum, in quo maiore[m], omnium decis, splendor, sapie[n]tia, et omnis generis virtus, tamqua[m] in verissimo speculo maxime relucet, ita huius Insulae imagine[m] meae erga tua[m] Excelle[n]tiam omnesq[ue] tuos observa[n]tiae cupio monume[n]tum, ac testimoniu[m], fore sempiternu[m]. Accipe igitur benignissima Princeps hanc Aenariae Insulae topographya[m] ea animi hilaritate, sinceritateq[ue], qua me ipsu[m]tua Exce.tiae studiosissimu[m] excipere soles. Vale Neapoli XV Cale[n]das Sextilis, salutis anno D.LXXXVI.

In the two panels in the lower corners we find a numerical legend of 167 references to notable places on the island. In the bottom centre is drawn the Scale milliaria duo italica continet (120 miles = mm 93). Orientation with a wind rose in the sea, north and bottom. Map without graduation in the margins.

"Giulio Iasolino is a Calabrian physician and scientist, originally from Monteleone Calabro, and author of several treatises on anatomy. The De rimedi constitutes his most important work, to which his fame is linked. The work deals with the antiquity of Ischia and, through the testimony of numerous ancient Greek and Latin writers, shows how in ancient times the island's baths were in common use and celebrated. The work was first published in Naples in 1588 by Giuseppe Cacchi. In fact, Iasolino had already completed a manuscript in Latin on the island and its springs in 1582, but his noble patients persuaded him to publish it in Italian, so it was another six years before the work saw the light of day, after being stripped of extremely technical matters and supplemented with new chapters on the topographical description of the island and general issues. In 1586, Mario Cartaro outlined the map of the island, based on precise indications given to him by Iasolino. The map, however, is present in very few examples of the book, probably because it was printed separately in Rome two years before the volume was published. Cartaro's work, a prototype of the island's cartography, was immediately taken up by Abraham Ortelius for the table he published in Theatrum Orbis Terrarum in 1590. Later, the map was the basis for the work of Giovanni Antonio Magini. (cf. S. Bifolco – F. Ronca, Cartografia e topografia italiana del XVI secolo, p. 2065).

Etching and engraving, printed on contemporary laid paper, with margins, minimal water stains in the lower margin, small tear in the right margin, otherwise in very good condition.

A VERY RARE map. Only 4 institutional examples are known [Atlante Stevens-Beans-Nebenzahl; Chicago, Newberry Library; Parigi, Bibliothèque Nationale (2)].

Bibliografia

S. Bifolco – F. Ronca, Cartografia e topografia italiana del XVI secolo (2018): pp. 2064-2065, tav. 1043; Almagià (1929): p. 47, C; Beans (1933): n. 46; Bifolco-Ronca (2014): n. 127; Meurer (1991): pp. 174-175; Perini (1996): p. 115; Tooley (1939): n. 320.