RUSCELLI, GIROLAMO: TAVOLA NUOVA DI SCHIAVONIA

The map represents a later Ruscelli adaptation of the Ptolemy Tabulae, that is, his own third adaptation of the Map of the Balkans from the series of “modern” or “new maps” which were subsequently added to the original Ptolemy Tabulae. The Tuscan artist translated Geography in the latter part of his life, and this map can be distinguished from its similar variants by the coat of arms in the lower left corner. It was originally published by Ruscelli in his own 1561 edition of La Geographi di Claudio Tolomeo in Venice. Ruscelli's Atlas, in turn, was an extended edition of Gastaldi's Atlas from 1548, and was considered to be the most comprehensive revision of Claudius Ptolemy's Geography up to that time. Precise engraving into copper plates was a turning point in the history of cartography as this medium or base became dominant from that point onwards, and its hardness enabled the master to inscribe more details. That is why these Ruscelli tavole are among the “modern maps” of the highest quality. This particular map covers the entire length of the eastern Adriatic coast and the inland area up to the Danube in the east and the Drava in the north. The classic problems of Ptolemy's adaptations are still evident, such as the reliefs which were shown relatively arbitrarily. The river network is barely recognizable, as are the coastal land lines. The depiction of the central Dinaric Mountains from Ptolemy's template is particularly emphasized here. Unlike the previous two copies of this Ruscelli’s map, this one was published posthumously by the publisher Melchior Sessa the younger in 1598. The publisher came from a family of well-known printers and publishers who published Ptolemy’s editions in Venice. Their father was the famous Melchior Sessa the elder, who was active the most in the first half of the century. In addition to Melchior the younger, his two brothers, Giovanni Battista and Giovanni Bernardo, are also well-known. Sessa the younger collaborated with Girolamo Ruscelli to produce updated versions of Ptolemy's maps entitled Tavole nuove, including this map of Slavonia.