1770 Delisle de Sales Map of Sicily
Description: This is a beautiful example of the 1770 Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales' map of Sicily. It covers the Mediterranean Island in its entirety nearby Malta. Sicily became a Greek colony around 750 BC. Syracuse, identified in this map, was its most important colony. Other important regions, such as Argigento (Valley of Temples) Gela, Himera (Himere) etcetera, are also noted. Mt. Etna, the tallest active volcano in the region, is beautifully rendered. According to Greek mythology, the monster Typhon, is trapped under the mountain. Several rivers, mountains and other topographical details are noted. This map was issued as part of Delisle de Sales' Histoire des hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Ancienne. Becasue most of Sales' work was burnt under the censorship of heresy, this volume is exceedingly rare.
Date: 1770 (undated)
Source: Delisle de Sales, Histoire des Hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Ancienne (Paris) 1770.
Cartographer: Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales or Jean-Baptiste Isoard de Lisle (1741–1816) was a French philosopher, historian, and accused heretic active in the late 18th century. Sales is best known for his publication of the multi-volume opus The Philosophy of Nature: Treatise on Human Moral Nature. The work, among other ideas, challenged the Biblical theory that the earth was created in 4004 BC. Instead, Sales put forth the theory based upon astronomical observations, that the earth was 140,000 years old. Sales' revolutionary ideas caused him to be declared a heretic by the Catholic Church. His publications were subsequently censored and, for the most part, destroyed. As a consequence all of his works are today extremely rare. Sales was also, notably, a close friend of Voltaire who in 1777 visited him in prison, gifting him 500 pounds towards his release. Delisle de Sales is unrelated to the more famous De L'Isle family of cartographers. Click here for a list of rare maps by Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle.
Size: Printed area measures 14 x 9 inches (35.56 x 22.86 centimeters)
Condition: Very good. Original platemark visible. Minor wear along original folds. Blank on verso. Professionally flattened and backed with archival tissue. Minor repaired damage near lower border.
Code: Sicily-sales-1770 (to order by phone call: 646-320-8650)