Siciliae Regnum

Very rare map of Sicily by Jean Matal, published in 1598.

Projection without geographic grid and any indication of coordinates; orientation by cardinal points named along the frame, north at the top. Scale 30 "Miliaria italica communia" equal to 35 mm. 

The map of Sicily by Johannes Metellus takes as a model the one published by Mercatore in 1589, reducing it to about half and simplifying its contents. The volume on Italy was published a year after his death and in the title appears as the author "Conrado Leone Historico." Meurer has shown that Konrad Loew is one of the pseudonyms used by Matthias Quad, and it is very likely that he was responsible for the completion and publication of the Metellus volume.

Metellus, Jean Matal (ca 1520-1597), humanist, archaeologist, and geographer, was in contact with several scholars of his time; he was also a friend and correspondent of Ortelius. A note of his dated 1575, appears in the Album Amicorum of Ortelius, with words of great consideration for the one "qui a mis le monde en lumière" and that he defines "le plus grande descripteur de 1'Univers" (Album Amicorum 1969). 

The same plate was used in an atlas dedicated to Europe, in 1600, and in the Speculum Orbis of 1602, the most extensive atlas published until then. The map of Sicily does not appear, however, in the Insularum Orbis, published in 1601. (see V. Valerio, Sicilia 1477-1861, p. 207, n. 71).

Etching, impressed on contemporary laid paper, text in German on the verso, perfect state of preservation. Very rare work.

Bibliografia

Meurer, Atlas Coloniensis, 1988, pp. 162-196, 175, 176, 185, 196; V. Valerio, Sicilia 1477-1861, La collezione Spagnolo-Patermo in quattro secoli di cartografia, 2014, p. 207, n. 71.