Detail View: David Rumsey Historical Map Collection: Vol. 1. Vistas de las Yslas de los Azores o Terceras

Tofino de San Miguel, Vicente, 1732-1795

1789

Vol. 1. Vistas de las Yslas de los Azores o Terceras

Direccion de Hidrografía

Madrid

View

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87

16 engraved profiles on 1 sheet.

Portugal

Azores Islands

Vistas de las Yslas de los Azores o Terceras. Levantado por el Brigadier de la Rl. Armada D. Vicente Tofino de S. Miguel. Bauza dibujo. Barthme. Vazquez lo grabo. (to accompany) Atlas maritimo de Espana : Madrid MDCCLXXXIX (1789).

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Mengs, Anton Rafael, 1728-1779

Bauza, Felipe

Vazquez, Bartolome

Tofino de San Miguel, Vicente, 1732-1795

1789

Atlas maritimo de Espana : Madrid MDCCLXXXIX (1789). Quac tentare thetim ratibus Virgil Bucotica. Inventado y dibuxado por D. Rafael Mengs, Capitan en el Real Cuerpo de Ingenieros. Grabado por D. Manuel Salvador Carmona, Grabador de Camara de S.M. y del Rey de Francia: y Director en la Real Academia de S. Fern.

Phillips, A list of geographical atlases in the Library of Congress, 5285. Shirley, Maps in the Atlases of the British Library, M.TOF1f.Phillips, Atlases 9305 & 9306. Palau, 332931 (calling for 37 maps).

First scientific Spanish hydrographic atlas in 2 volumes. One of the most important works of Vicente Tofino de San Miguel, cartographer and sailor born in Cadiz. Drawn by Rafael Mengs. Engraved pictorial title page in volume 1. Both volumes together have 46 copper plated nautical charts, plans and profiles, printed on double or single sheets, dated 1786-1789. Prime meridians: Cadiz, Ferrol and Paris. Engraved by Manuel Salvador Carmona. Joseph Varelay Ulloa, Fernando Selma, Felipe Bauza, Bartolome Vazquez, Drouet, Santiago, Joaquin Ballester, Juan de la Cruz Cano y Olmedilla, Josef Asensio. Covers the coasts of Spain, in the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, the coast of Portugal, part of Africa and the Canary Islands, Azores Islands, Terceras and Cape Verde. Bound in red morocco gilt with the arms of Charles III of Spain on the covers of volume 1. "First editions of the first Spanish Sea Atlas, a spectacular  copy in  contemporary  red morocco and amongst the first significant atlases published in Spain, certainly a fascinating Spanish publication of the Enlightment; the timing of the publication of this atlas is no coincidence, Spain had forever being weary of map publishing and afraid of enemy or competing states learning  their  cartographic secrets, had had a censorship over map-publishing since  the time of the  Hasburgs, this changed with  the coming of Charles III into power, it would be him who lifted the censorship, which gave way to the publishing of the maps from the Malaspina expedition, the Portulano de la America Setentrional, and, of course, this superb sea atlas, which is, aside from the cartographic accuracy, a most beautiful printing, decorated with  handsome baroque cartouches and frames.   Although separate works, they are part of the same cartographic endeavor, which  aimed at a serious and accurate understanding of the ports of Spain, the Mediterranean and the North of Africa.In the European cartographic production, the maritime atlases have always had an honorary position, their destiny, of practical application for sailing, set the balance in favor of geographical precision over beauty; in this particular case, however, both are perfectly balanced.   "Tofiño de San Miguel is the best known Spanish marine cartographer. His charts are finely engraved and as well as citing Tofiño's name in the title, there are usually other signatures giving the names of the draughtsman or engraver. [Editions of this atlas] have differing numbers, depending whether the sheets of coastal profiles are present or are included. Some selections of charts may have been put together prior to official publication" (Shirley).   One of the  atlases comprises 11 double page maps of the Mediterranean coast –mostly dated 1786- and 4 costal profile views, also double page; amongst the maps, those of Gibraltar, Algeciras, the Baleares, Ibiza, Majorca and Minorca, Mahon, are remarkable. This is the true first edition, and the first part published, later in 1789, the Atlas maritimo de Españasaw light; both are, however, complete as issued. This first part is exactly as the Wardington copy (Sotheby´s, The Wardington Library: Atlases, Part II, 2006, lot 514, £ 31,200). The second partcovers the Northern and Western coasts of Spain, the adjacent islands in the Atlantic and the North of Africa.   “It was commissioned by King Carlos III, King of Naples and Sicily (1734--1759) and of Spain (1759--1788) on the advice of Antonio Valdes, the Minister of the Navy. The work was enntrusted to Tofino in June 1783, who was then Brigadier in command of the Midshipmen's Academy. The first volume appeared in 1787 without title-page and the second in 1789 without text. So great was its success that a second edition of the whole work, the complete Pilot, was published the same year, this time with the text together with two further charts” (Wardington Catalogue).   The Maritime Atlas was the first published by the Spanish Crown, historically renowned for having a severe policy of secrecy regarding their maritime and cartographical knowledge. This is arguably the most significant cartographical production in Spain of the 18thcentury, and a foundation of Spanish modern cartography.   Tofiño de San Miguel was a preeminent Spanish cosmographer and cartographer; he studied physics and worked with Jorge Juan as professor of the Academia de Guardias Marinas of Cadiz. As a military officer, he participated of the expedition against Argel in 1773 and the siege of Gibraltar in 1782." (Sotheby's catalog)

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Chart Atlas

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Tofino de San Miguel, Vicente, 1732-1795