Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and AstronomyStevenson, Edward Luther
History
Terrestrial and Celestial Globes Volume 2: Their History and Construction Including a Consideration of their Value as Aids in the Study of Geography and Astronomy
Stevenson, Edward Luther
Geography -- History; Globes
In the year 1696 Coronelli made an extensive European tour which carried
him as far as England, an account of which he published in Venice in the
following year under the title ‘Viaggio de Venezia fino in Inghilterra.’
In this work the author describes an edition of his globes which he
referred to as having a diameter of “un piede e mezzo,” or about 48 cm.,
prepared in London and dedicated to the English King William III, of
which it has been possible to locate several examples. A particularly
fine copy of the terrestrial may be found in the collection of The
Hispanic Society of America (Fig. 115), agreeing in all its details with
the other copies, in so far, at least, as the information obtained seems
to indicate. In an elaborately decorated cartouch near the south polar
region is the dedicatory inscription, reading “Globum hujusmodi
Terraqueum Guglielmo invictissimo ac potentissimo Magnae Britaniae etc.
Regi Dicat, Vocat. consecrat. Pater, Magister Vincentius Coronelli Mon.
Con. S. Francisci Serenissimae Venetorum Reipublicae Cosmographus
MDCLXXXXVI. Londini.” “This terrestrial globe, Father and Master
Vincentio Coronelli, Brother of the Franciscan Order and Cosmographer of
the Venetian Republic, dedicates, names and consecrates to William III,
the Invincible and Mighty King of Great Britain.” Not far from the above
is a somewhat elaborate representation of the king’s coat of arms with
the motto “Hony soit qui mal y pense. Je maintienderay.” Its mounting
consists of a narrow graduated meridian circle of wood which is made to
pass, in the usual manner, through a horizon circle of wood, the outer
edge of which is octagonal. The upper surface of this horizon circle is
covered with an engraved horizon sheet giving within concentric circles
the names of the zodiacal constellations, names of the months with the
names of the prominent saints, the names of the principal winds, and of
the principal directions in Italian. It has a supporting base of four
artistically turned columns with binding crossbars extending from each
post to a central circular plate 17 cm. in diameter, carrying the post
through a slot in which the meridian circle is made to pass. The north
pole is topped with a thin pasteboard hour circle and pointer. The globe
map is composed of twelve gores which are truncated in latitude 80
degrees both north and south, the polar spaces being covered with
circular discs, and are cut on the line of the equator. The sphere is
exceedingly light in weight, being composed of papier-mâché. In every
particular the globe is one remarkably well preserved, and is one of the
finest examples of early globe making in the society’s collection.
[Illustration: Fig. 115. Terrestrial Globe of P. Vincenzo Coronelli,
1696.]
[Illustration: Fig. 115a. Terrestrial Globe of P. Vincenzo Coronelli,
1693.]
[Illustration: Fig. 115b. Celestial Globe of P. Vincenzo Coronelli,
1693.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account