Isola de Zante

The probably best known cartographic works of the engraver Natale Bonifacio is a serie of maps showing Greek Islands in the Ionian en Aegean Seas. They are all undated and their chronological sequence is difficult to ascertain. Like the larger maps of The IATO these smaller ones were first issued for a loose sheet circulation, and then assembled in booklet form for interested customer. Some of the maps, separately issued, appear in copies of the first edition of Ferrando Bertelli’s “Civitatum aliquot insignorum et locorum magis monitorum exacta delineation cum additione aliquot Insularum principalium. Disegni di alcune più illustri città et fortezze del mondo con aggionta di alcune Isole principali”, of 1568. Others are known only from the second edition of the Bertelli book, published by Donato in 1574 and from the undated “Isole Famose…” by Giovanni Francesco Camocio. As noted by Meurer, due of they small format, they were infrequently added to composite atlases. The present map of Zakynthos seems to be based on an original drawing. The depiction of the essential elements is fairly correct, although the bays appear overestimated in size. Fantastic early impression.