Details
MILLO, Antonio (fl. 1557-90).[Map of the World] partially titled '..operto in Carta marina'. [Venice]: signed 'Antonius Millo fecit', [undated but circa 1580].
An illuminated manuscript map of the world comprising 4 sheets (of 6, lacking the sheets of North America and Africa), ink and colours on vellum, each sheet approximately 600 x 830mm. The four sheets comprise part of South America; Europe and North Africa; the Middle East; and Asia, coastlines in black with blue, grey and purple wash, several islands heightened in gold, numerous mountains marked with hill symbols, rivers and lakes in blue, the land areas filled by small uniform town symbols, all heightened in gold, Venice depicted by an elaborate town view, the major countries of Europe indicated with the arms heightened in gold, the seas uncoloured but decorated with numerous galleys, ships and sea monsters, 14 elaborate compass roses most heightened in gold, two scale bars, Millo signature and compass points set in scrolled cartouches, the map set within triple ruled borders of maroon and sepia. The sheets worn with slight loss of image, some discolouration and staining, margins of three sheets with restorations affecting map, the sheet including Europe with restorations affecting sea areas.
An interesting unrecorded example of part of a world map by Antonio Millo. Nordenskiold in his Periplus of 1897 records 4 examples of Millo's work; an atlas, 1557, and a world map dated 1582 in the British Library; a large atlas of 12 sheets, late 16th century, in the Bibl. Vittorio Emanuele, Rome; A manuscript navigation book with maps by Antonio Millo dated 1590 in the Bibl. Marciana, Venice. By the late 16th century many chart makers of the Mediterranean, such as Millo, had been forced by the competition of cheaper printed charts to concentrate more effort on producing large grand maps and atlases for rich and noble clients rather than portolan charts for captains and navigators. A world chart such as this, when joined and mounted to form a wall-map, would have created an impressive image, and was undoubtably drawn up for a rich Venetian client. (4)
An illuminated manuscript map of the world comprising 4 sheets (of 6, lacking the sheets of North America and Africa), ink and colours on vellum, each sheet approximately 600 x 830mm. The four sheets comprise part of South America; Europe and North Africa; the Middle East; and Asia, coastlines in black with blue, grey and purple wash, several islands heightened in gold, numerous mountains marked with hill symbols, rivers and lakes in blue, the land areas filled by small uniform town symbols, all heightened in gold, Venice depicted by an elaborate town view, the major countries of Europe indicated with the arms heightened in gold, the seas uncoloured but decorated with numerous galleys, ships and sea monsters, 14 elaborate compass roses most heightened in gold, two scale bars, Millo signature and compass points set in scrolled cartouches, the map set within triple ruled borders of maroon and sepia. The sheets worn with slight loss of image, some discolouration and staining, margins of three sheets with restorations affecting map, the sheet including Europe with restorations affecting sea areas.
An interesting unrecorded example of part of a world map by Antonio Millo. Nordenskiold in his Periplus of 1897 records 4 examples of Millo's work; an atlas, 1557, and a world map dated 1582 in the British Library; a large atlas of 12 sheets, late 16th century, in the Bibl. Vittorio Emanuele, Rome; A manuscript navigation book with maps by Antonio Millo dated 1590 in the Bibl. Marciana, Venice. By the late 16th century many chart makers of the Mediterranean, such as Millo, had been forced by the competition of cheaper printed charts to concentrate more effort on producing large grand maps and atlases for rich and noble clients rather than portolan charts for captains and navigators. A world chart such as this, when joined and mounted to form a wall-map, would have created an impressive image, and was undoubtably drawn up for a rich Venetian client. (4)