SOUTHERN PREROV DISTRICT MORAVIA CZECH REPUBLIC 1716 HOMANN UNUSUAL ANTIQUE MAP

Ciculi Preroviensis Pars Australis.

Description: Striking and highly detailed fine unusual large format 1716 Johann Baptist Homann's copper engraved map depicting the southern part of the Přerov region, which is in modern-day Moravia, Czech Republic. It is a part of Homann's world atlas, which is known for its detailed cartography and artistic embellishments.
 
Composition and Medium:
 
The map is hand-colored, showcasing the use of vibrant greens to delineate the region's boundaries and terrain. The detailed topographical elements include mountains, forests, and rivers, carefully engraved to provide a sense of the landscape's physical features. The map is set within a decorative border, typical of the period's cartographic style, combining functionality with aesthetic appeal.
 
Style:
 
Homann's maps are renowned for their baroque style, characterized by elaborate decorations and flourishes. This map includes cartouches, which are ornamental frames surrounding the map's title and other inscriptions. These embellishments reflect the artistic tendencies of the early 18th century, combining utility with artistry.
 
Subject Matter:
 
The map focuses on the southern part of the Přerov region, detailing towns, villages, roads, and geographical features. The names of places are inscribed in Latin, which was the scholarly language of the time. This reflects the map's intended audience of educated Europeans and academics.
 
Cultural and Historical Context:
 
Johann Baptist Homann was a prominent figure in cartography during the early 18th century. Born in Bavaria, he initially pursued a career in civil law before shifting to engraving and mapmaking. In 1702, he established his own publishing house in Nuremberg, quickly gaining recognition as a leading cartographer. His appointment as Imperial Geographer by Emperor Charles VI in 1715 underscores his reputation and the importance of his work in the context of the Holy Roman Empire.
 
The map not only served practical purposes for navigation and administration but also represented the political and territorial ambitions of the time. Maps were tools of power, illustrating the extent of territorial claims and providing strategic advantages.
 
Notable Features:
 
- Landmarks and Inscriptions: The map includes various towns and villages marked with symbols, with names written in Latin. These inscriptions are important for historical geography, providing insights into the region's settlement patterns during the early 18th century.
 
- Cartouches and Decorative Elements: The artistic flourishes, such as the cartouches, enhance the map's visual appeal and reflect the baroque style prevalent in European art and cartography at the time.
 
- Topographical Details: The depiction of mountains and rivers highlights the map's utility in understanding the physical geography of the region. The careful engraving of these features demonstrates the skill and precision of Homann and his workshop.
 
Atlas and Publication Details:
 
This map is part of a larger atlas compiled by Homann, which is a composite version tailored for a specific customer. The atlas includes a title page and introductory text in Gothic German, with maps in Latin or German. It is a significant cultural artifact, reflecting the period's cartographic knowledge and artistic sensibilities.
 
Overall, "Circuli Preroviensis Pars Australis" is a valuable historical document, illustrating the interplay between art, science, and politics in early 18th-century Europe. Through its detailed representation of the Moravian region, it offers insights into the cartographic practices and cultural context of its time.
 
Date: 1716 ( undated )

Dimension: Map size approx.: cm 60,4 x 52,2 

Condition: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains and wiremarks. Map old original colored. Small foxing and browning. Map folded. Conditions are as you can see in the images. 

Mapmakers: Johann Baptist Homann (March 20, 1664 - July 1, 1724) was the most prominent and prolific map publisher of the 18th century. Homann was born in Oberkammlach, a small town near Kammlach, Bavaria, Germany. As a young man Homann studied in a Jesuit school and nursed ambitions of becoming a Dominican priest before converting to Protestantism in 1687. Following his conversion, Homann moved to Nuremberg and found employment as a notary. Around 1693 Homan briefly relocated to Vienna, where he lived and studied printing and copper plate engraving until 1695. Afterwards he returned to Nuremberg where, in 1702, he founded the commercial publishing firm that would bear his name. In the next five years Homann produced hundreds of maps and developed a distinctive style characterized by heavy detailed engraving, elaborate allegorical cartouche work, and vivid hand color. The Homann firm, due to the lower cost of printing in Germany, was able to undercut the dominant French and Dutch publishing houses while matching the diversity and quality of their output. By 1715 Homann's rising star caught the attention of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles the VI, who appointed him Imperial Cartographer. In the same year he was also appointed a member of the Royal Academy of Sciences in Berlin. Homann's prestigious title came with a number of important advantages including access to the most up to date cartographic information as well as the "Privilege". The Privilege was a type of early copyright offered to a few individuals by the Holy Roman Emperor. Though not as sophisticated as modern copyright legislation, the Privilege did offer a kind of limited protection for several years. Most all J. B. Homann maps printed between 1715 and 1730 bear the inscription "Cum Priviligio" or some variation. Following Homann's death in 1726, the management of the firm passed to his son Johann Christoph Homann (1703 - 1730). J. C. Homann, perhaps realizing that he would not long survive his father, stipulated in his will that the company would be inherited by his two head managers, Johann Georg Ebersberger and Johann Michael Franz, and that it would publish only under the name Homann Heirs. This designation, in various forms (Homannsche Heirs, Heritiers de Homann, Lat Homannianos Herod, Homannschen Erben, etc..) appears on maps from about 1731 onwards. The firm continued to publish maps in ever diminishing quantities until the death of its last owner, Christoph Franz Fembo in 1848.

Johann Christoph Müller (Wöhrd, March 15, 1673 – Vienna, June 21, 1721) was a German cartographer and engineer who worked for the Austrian administration. Johann Christoph Müller was the son of Johann Müller, a schoolteacher in Wöhrd, a village near Nuremberg, of which it is now a district, and Ursula Luft. His brother Johann Heinrich Müller (1671–1731) was an astronomer. From 1692 to 1696, Müller, like his brother before him, was assistant to Georg Christoph Eimmart at the Nuremberg Star Warte; he was then brought into the civil service by Luigi Ferdinando Marsigli. Marsigli had created numerous sketches during the war against the Turks in Eastern Europe and was looking for a collaborator to draw up geographical maps. The collaboration between Müller and Marsigli produced the first reasonably accurate map of Hungary. Until then, the Danube east of Esztergom had never been shown on maps. The first accurate maps of Bohemia and Moravia were also produced by Müller. In 1703, Marsigli was dishonorably discharged from the army. Around 300 maps were produced by Müller, who was one of the most important cartographers of Austria and Hungary. Johann Christoph Müller died unmarried and childless in 1721.