China Divisa nelle sue Provincie

Coronelli's two sheet map of China is regarded as the most accurate of its period and is based on the latest Jesuit surveys. Due to his standing as a Father General of the Franciscan Order, Coronelli had unrivalled access to Jesuit information about this distant, exotic land. China held an enduring fascination for the West as the source of silk and this encouraged numerous European missionaries to travel there but none more so than the Jesuits. Coronelli's debt to the Order is acknowledged on the upper left by the inclusion of the Jesuit symbol "IHS" standing for "Iesu Homine Salve". This blends in with the other superb embellishment on the map including the elaborate dedication to Antonio Baldigiani, Jesuit Professor of Mathematics at the Collegio Romano and proponent of Galileo's theories. [SEAS4318] (BC)