Isole Dell’Indie (The East Indies, Philippines & Early Singapore Straits) - Coronelli c. 1690

Isole dell’Indie divise in Filippine, Molucche e della Sonda
Drawn/Published by: Vincenzo Maria Coronelli
Location: Venice
Year: c. 1690–1691
From: Atlante Veneto or Isolario
Condition: Fine copperplate engraving with vibrant period hand-colouring; professionally matted.

A Masterpiece of the Italian Baroque
This magnificent map by Vincenzo Maria Coronelli, the official cosmographer of the Venetian Republic, is one of the most celebrated 17th-century depictions of Southeast Asia. Coronelli, a Franciscan friar and founder of the world's first geographical society, was the premier globe-maker of his age, famously commissioned to build giant globes for King Louis XIV of France.

Maritime Significance 
This chart is highly prized for its early and detailed recording of maritime intelligence:

• The Singapore Passage: The map traces several dotted shipping routes used by the merchant fleets of the era. Notably, it clearly illustrates the passage through the Straits of Singapore, documenting the island's strategic importance as a naval gateway long before modern colonization.
• Northern Australia: In the lower right, a significant portion of "Nuova Hollanda" (Australia) is visible, based on the recent Dutch discoveries of the mid-1600s.
  Artistic Grandeur: The map features a spectacular Baroque title cartouche in the lower left, supported by marine deities and sirens, along with a formal dedication to the Abbot Gradenigo.

A Collector’s Rarity
Coronelli's maps are noted for their sharp, clean engraving and large folio size. Unlike the more common Dutch maps of the period, Venetian maps by Coronelli are considered distinctive and rare, representing the final golden era of Italian cartographic dominance.