CORONELLI

VINCENZO MARIA CORONELLI

1650-1718

Coronelli was a Francisan friar who spent most of his life in Venice, where he was appointed Father General of the Franciscan order in 1699.

Vincenzo Maria Coronelli was an Italian Franciscan friar, cartographer, and globe-maker, renowned for his detailed maps and globes, which were highly regarded in Europe during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. Born in Venice, Coronelli became famous for his exceptional craftsmanship in creating large, elaborately decorated globes for prominent patrons, including Louis XIV of France.

He was awarded a doctorate in theology at the Collegium Santo Bonaventura in Rome in 1673. He became a famous mathematician, cosmographer, cartographer and globe maker. In 1678 he made two globes with a diameter of 175 cm for the Duke of Parma, and this brought him to the attention of the French ambassador. In 1681 he moved to Paris and served as Geographer Royal to King Louis XIV.

As his fame spread he worked in several European countries over the following years, continuing to make globes and writing books on geography and cartography. In 1705 he returned to Venice, where he founded the first geographical society, the Academia Cosmografica degli Argonauti, and held the position of ‘Cosmographer of the Republic of Venice’.

He also published the first six volumes of the first encyclopedia to be ordered alphabetically, but this was never completed.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. GLOBES: Coronelli is perhaps best known for the creation of two monumental globes for Louis XIV in 1683. These globes, each over 3 meters in diameter, were among the largest ever made and are masterpieces of both cartography and artistic design.

2. ATLASES AND MAPS: He produced a vast number of maps and atlases, including the “Atlante Veneto”, a comprehensive geographical work that was a major reference in its time.

3. ACADEMIA DEGLI ARGONAUTI: In 1680, Coronelli founded the world’s first geographical society, the Academia degli Argonauti, in Venice. This society brought together scholars interested in geography and cartography.

4. CULTURAL INFLUENCE: His work was influential in the development of European cartography, and his maps were used for both practical navigation and as symbols of wealth and knowledge.

Coronelli’s work is characterized by its accuracy, attention to detail, and artistic elegance, making him one of the most important figures in the history of cartography