28-29 / 136
24
En dehors de ces six portulans identifiés et décrits à la fin du XIX
e
, nous en avons localisé onze autres dispersés dans
les collections publiques européennes. La
Bibliothèque Nationale de France
conserve deux portulans de Pietro
Russo, aucun de Jacobo Russo.
Exemplaire en bon état général de conservation, présentant néanmoins quelques défauts : parchemin jauni, plus
particulièrement au dos, piqûres et petites mouillures, bordures écornées avec de légers manques sans atteinte au
dessin, petits trous dont un plus important au niveau de l’Espagne, cinq déchirures dans la partie haute du portulan,
dont les sutures, maladroites, ont été refaites postérieurement, quelques traces de frottement, plus prononcées au
niveau de la représentation de la Vierge, légère trace de coulure au niveau d’un étendard de couleur rouge.
Mention manuscrite au dos «Collection de Mr Henri Heulz». Peut-être s’agit-il de Henri Heulz, lithographe du
XIX
e
.
Roberto Almagià,
I lavori cartografici di Pïetro e Jacopo Russo,
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Serie VIII, vol. XII,
fasc.
7-10
,
1957
; G. Uzielli & P. Amat di S. Filippo,
Studi biografici e bibliografici sulla storia della geografia in
Italia. Mappamondi, carte nautiche, portolani, ed altri monumenti cartografici specialmente italiani dei secoli
XIII-XVII,
Rome,
1875
; E.-T. Hamy,
Note sur une carte marine inédite de Giacomo Russo de Messine (1557),
1888
; Cesareo Fernández Duro,
Cartas náuticas de Jacobo Russo (siglo XVI),
Boletín de la Real Academia, Madrid
1888
, pp.
314
-
319
; Julio Rey Pastor & Ernesto Garcia Camarero,
La Cartografía Mallorquína,
Madrid
1960
;
Bibliothèque Nationale de France,
L’Âge d’or des cartes marines,
sous la direction de Catherine Hofmann, Hélène
Richard et Emmanuelle Vagnon, Paris
2012
.
An exceptional portolan chart of the Mediterranean, drawn on vellum in Messina in 1588 by Jacobo Russo. The
map extends north to south from the coasts of Provence and Liguria to the coasts of North Africa, and west to east
from the Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and of Africa to the Black and Red Seas. It is embellished with a
representation of the Virgin and Child with globe, six windroses, 35 flags, and 13 vignettes showing city views,
including the two most important cities of Genova and Venice.
Before the Oliva, the first portolan charts drawn in Messina were signed by Pietro Russo and Jacobo Russo,
probably father and son. The first known portolan chart by Petrus Rubeus or Pietro Russo is dated 1508, the first
by Jacobo Russo is from 1520. The name of Jacobo Russo was quite unknown until he was mentioned in an Italian
book in 1866. At the end of the nineteenth century, six portolan charts by Jacobo Russo had been identified and
described, mostly from public collections. Eleven other of his portolan charts are kept today in European public
libraries.
The map is in fairly good condition, but shows however some flaws: some age toning, more pronounced in the
back, some foxing and some small water staining, edges chipped with very small losses not affecting the map,
small holes including a more important one in Spain, five tears in the upper part of the map, later and roughly
sewn, some traces of rubbing, more pronounced in the figure of the Virgin, some trace of smear near a red flag.
Manuscript mention on the back “Collection de Mr Henri Heulz”. This might be Henri Heulz, lithographer of the
nineteenth century.
Lot présenté par Madame Bégonia Le Bail
Librairie Le Bail
13, rue Frédéric Sauton 75005 Paris
01 43 29 72 59 –
librairie.lebail@orange.fr