COLLECTION NAME:
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Record
Author:
Weigel, Christoph
Date:
1720
Short Title:
Discus Chronologicus Regum Utriusque Siciliae et Ducum Principumque Italiae
Publisher:
Christoph Weigel
Publisher Location:
Nuremberg, Germany
Type:
Timeline
Obj Height cm:
46
Obj Width cm:
38
Scale 1:
None shown
Note:
From Alex Johnson: This exceptionally attractive timewheel chronicles the reigns of the kings and dukes of 11 different jurisdictions in Italy over a period spanning from the 10th Century to the year 1720. Following the precedent set by the Eusabian Tables, the timetable permits one to cross-reference different rulers in the various regions, allowing one to make sense of the complex but interconnected dynastic politics of the Italian Peninsula and islands. The timewheel's volvelle, or turning hand, facilitates the "operation" of the piece, and the overall unusual circular arrangement of price is naturally inspired by a clock face. The peculiarity of the piece lies in the arrangement of the individual columns in the form of concentric circles. These are divided into 8 brightly-coloured segments each respectively corresponding to a century. As timetable was made in the early 1720s, the segment depicting the 18th Century is thus not even a quarter complete, such that blank space is sensibly left for one to add the names of future rulers, in their own hand. This way the timetable could be kept current, even for many years after its issue. While the present example is clean and free of notes, it appears that contemporary owners of the Weigel's timewheels took the availed themselves of opportunity to make additions. An example of a different edition of a Weigel timewheel, dated 1723, which chronicles the reigns of the rulers of the main states of Europe, found in the collections of Princeton University, features manuscript editions of subsequent rulers extending deep into the 18th Century (Rosenberg & Grafton, p. 105). Interestingly, the key to dating the present piece also represents a subtle, yet unambiguous, rhetorical message. The most recent ruler to be featured on the piece is Charles VI (1685-1740), the Austrian Habsburg who ruled as the Holy Roman Emperor and who, as labeled on the timewheel, became the King of Sicily in 1720. It is thus clear that the present piece dates from 1720 of later, but before Weigel's death in 1725. Date estimated. This chart was issued in some copies of Johann David Kohler's undated school atlas, Atlas Scholasticus et Itinerarius, and separately listed in his 1724 Anleitung zu der verbesserten Neuen Geographie.
Reference:
Cartography of Time, page 105
Country:
Italy
Subject:
Historical
Subject:
Pictorial map
Subject:
Data Visualization
Full Title:
Discus Chronologicus Regum Utriusque Siciliae et Ducum Principumque Italiae Praecipuorum accurate ostendens cocevam eorum seriem ac successionem diversarum familiarum ab origine usque ad praesens tempus. ap. C. Weigelium Norimbergae. cum Priviegio Sacr. Cas. Majest.
List No:
10011.000
Publication Author:
Weigel, Christoph
Pub Date:
1720
Pub Title:
Discus Chronologicus Regum Utriusque Siciliae et Ducum Principumque Italiae Praecipuorum accurate ostendens cocevam eorum seriem ac successionem diversarum familiarum ab origine usque ad praesens tempus. ap. C. Weigelium Norimbergae. cum Priviegio Sacr. Cas. Majest.
Pub Note:
See note field above.
Pub List No:
10011.000
Pub Type:
Timeline
Pub Height cm:
46
Pub Width cm:
38
Image No:
10011000.jp2
Authors:
Weigel, Christoph
