Map--Coronelli, Vincenzo Maria

650 x 915mm., engraved map on 2 conjoined sheets, hand-coloured in outline, silked, restored

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A famous and important two-sheet map of China, the best delineation of that country to date. The map is dedicated to Antonio Baldigiani (1647-1711), a Jesuit, and Professor of Mathematics at the Roman College, and from 1691 consultor to the Congregation of the Index, the church body responsible for examining books condemned by the Inquisition and reporting their findings to the Pope, and in case of minor errors, providing editing advice to allow publication. As such, he was an important, conciliatory, figure in the confrontation between Catholic doctrines and the new science propounded by Galileo and others. Baldigiani, as with many fellow Jesuits, was greatly interested in China, and was an obvious choice as a dedicatee for this map. European contact with and knowledge of China to date was largely dependent on the work of successive generations of Jesuits.