ZATTA, Antonio. Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto sulle osservazioni scoperte fatte dai più celebri e più recenti geografi, che ora per la prima volta si produce.
Venezia, 1775 - 1785
First edition of one of the most elegant and significant atlases printed in Italy in the 18th century.
The Atlas includes the famous 12-sheet map "The United Colonies of North America," the first map to give its name to the United States, based on Mitchell's map (1775). This and other regional maps of North America are placed in the first volume, along with maps of the British Isles, because they were British possessions. A note in the index of the fourth volume explains that at the time of the first volume's publication, a war was being fought over these colonies; subsequent editions of the atlas moved the maps to the fourth volume. Another particularly important map is "New Zealand," one of the first published versions of Cook's map of New Zealand and certainly one of the most decorative. The maps, 215 in total covering every part of the globe, were engraved by G. Pitteri, D. Colussi, G. Zuliani, G.V. Pasquali, and Ab. V. Formaleoni. Parts of the Atlas, especially those relating to areas affected by ongoing political transformations, were also published separately, as was the case with the maps of North America.
Antonio Zatta, Venice 1722-1804, was one of the most important Italian map publishers between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was also a cartographer, printer, and bookseller, and produced primarily maps and atlases, as well as numerous literary works illustrated by the leading engravers of the period, such as the two Novelli brothers, accounts of voyages of discovery, and works of cultural dissemination typical of the Enlightenment. His output is dominated by intaglio illustrations (frontispieces, friezes, vignettes, portraits), entrusted mostly to his brother Giacomo and P.A. Novelli. His most important work is this four-volume 'Atlante Novissimo'.
Phillips, Atlases 650, 651; Cremonini 72; Cfr. Shirley, British Library T.ZAT-1; Valerio V., Cartografi Veneti, Padova 2007, p. 215.
4 folio volumes. 370 x 263 mm. Quarter leather binding, gilt-stamped titles on the spine with decorations and ornaments.
Vol. 1, 1775: Illustrated frontispiece on a double sheet, designed by P. A. Novelli and copper-engraved by Zuliani. Engraved title page with the date 1775. 5 unnumbered leaves, pages IX-XVI. 1 unnumbered leaf. 50 pages. 70 finely copper-engraved plates of double-page colored maps.
The frontispiece, dated 1779, is richly decorated with allegorical figures: Venice enthroned with the Lion of St. Mark at her side and the open Book of the Gospels, winged cherubs, an armillary sphere and globe, and various cartographic instruments. The preliminary pages include a dedication with an engraved coat of arms from the dedicatory Carlo Spinola, a large Initial and a copper-engraved endpiece, an index of chapters and paragraphs, a distribution of material and maps, and a list of members. The leaf containing pages 7-8 of the text, entitled “Saggi preliminari di Geografia” appears before page 3.
Vol. 2, 1782: Copper-engraved title page, Index, 49 double-page maps.
Vol. 3, 1784: Copper-engraved title page, Index, 54 double-page maps.
Vol. 4, 1785: Copper-engraved title page, Index, 42 double-page maps.
In total 215 double-page maps, in elegant contemporary coloring.
The maps, printed on laid paper, are framed within graduated colored frames and are embellished with decorative cartouches, with titles and other informations, which represent a distinctive element of 18th-century Venetian cartography.
Some traces of wear on binding with slight damage on corners, spines and spine-ends. Internally a fine specimen.