Unusual Italian Map
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Unusual Italian Map
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| LE NOBLE.
CARTA / TOPOGRAFICA / DELL'ISOLA / DEL MARITAGGIO / DI MONSIEUR LE NOBLE / PER LA PRIMA VOLTA / TRADOTTA DAL FRANCESE IN ITALIANO. / [double rule] [quotation] / [woodblock design] / IN COSMOPOLI, / [double rule] /M.D. C C L X V. [Italy], 1765. Collation: 8vo, contemporary marbled boards, calf gilt title label, spine chipped; title, pp. 40, folding map. engraved bookplate (contemporary?) pasted on prelim. [1] CARTA / DELL'ISOLA / del / MARITAGGIO.' Map: 240 x 355, platemark: 248 x 366. |
| A treatise on the Island of Matrimony, written as a travel book, with
35 pages of text describing how to reach the island, through the ports
of 'Love', 'Bad Advice' or 'Self-interest'; and where to live, including
the provinces of 'the Jealous' and 'the Cuckolds', and the 'Mountains of
In-laws'.
Once on the island it is impossible to leave, but it is possible to go to the peninsulas of "Widowhood' and 'Divorce', the 'Great Mausoleum' and, for the truly masochistic, 'Bigamy Island'. A theme that runs through the work is the "cuckold", the man with an unfaithful wife: not only does he have a province to himself, but he can be seen in right of the title cartouche (see above). His tell-tale horns are the origin of the famous English "V-Sign". |
Names that appear in the map include:
There are other features we have not been able to translate from the slightly archaic Italian, so this item is worthy of further research. The map is featured by courtesy of Masssimo De Martini of Altea Maps & Books, to whom further enquiries should be directed. |