Lot 132: TURKEY - GASTALDI, GIACOMO (c.1500-1566).

Il disegno d'Geografia moderna della provincia di Natolia, et Caramania. Venice: Paolo Forlani, 1564. Engraved map of Turkey, on two joined sheets, 391 x 532mm (Very light discoloration along the upper margin, two vertical creases by central fold.)

A rare and important first state of Gastaldi's Asia Minor. It was an especially important subject for Venice at the time, the Serene Republic was often at war with Turkey, yet also depended on oriental trade through the region. The image is centred on the Anatolian Peninsula and the Ottoman capital of Constanople (Istanbul) adorns the upper left of the map, marking the gateway to Europe. The image was finely engraved by Paolo Forlani (fl.1560-1571), who was employed by Gastaldi as the time. This is the first large-scale map of the region to be produced, and it became the source map for the later edtions by the Lafreri School. Karrow no.03, Tooley:1939 no.64, Woodward:1990 no.26.01, Woodward:1996 watermark 43.

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