1710 Funck (1 results)

Very good. Slight margin soiling. Minor centerfold split, stabilized on verso, limited to margin. Laid down contemporaneous paper, likely by 18th century binder. Size 20.5 x 23.25 Inches. This is a c. 1710 Johann Baptist Homann table of distances, prepared for his Neuer Atlas . As the title and text in the cartouche indicate, the table provides distances between many German cities and major cities outside the German-speaking lands. A Closer Look A fascinating early modern infographic, this table of distances includes dozens of European cities, mostly in the territories of the Holy Roman Empire, but also including relatively far-flung locations such as Stockholm, Riga, Rome, London, Lisbon, Malta, Bethlehem, Damascus, and Jerusalem. Color-shading breaks up the cities into blocks, making them more easily distinguishable and the table more readable. A decorative cartouche surrounded by cherubs and allegorical figures includes German text explaining how to use the table, giving the distance between Nurnberg (or Nuremberg, Homann's hometown) and Venice as an example. Aside from its practical applications, the table reflects increased mobility within Europe, driven by economics and improved roads. Publication History and Census This table was prepared by Johann Baptist Homann and lists David Funck as the publisher. It likely appeared in the 1710 edition of Homann's Neuer Atlas , but the inclusion of Funck, under whom Homann apprenticed, suggests that it was prepared earlier. Perhaps for this reason, this sheet is dated between 1682 and 1710 in institutional collections. The table must have been considered useful and desirable, as it was later embellished with slightly modified titles by Homann Heirs, Seutter, and Lotter, who added more cities and illustrations. It was still being included in atlases at the end of the century, namely Johann Wilhelm Jaeger's 1789 Grand Atlas d'Allemagne (Rumsey 15954.085).