Historic Map : Thomson Map of Naples and Sicily, 1817, Vintage Wall Art

This fascinating hand colored 1817 map by Edinburgh cartographer John Thomson depicts southern Italy. It covers from Rome south to the island of Sicily depicting the Kingdom of Naples (a common reference for the 'Kingdom of the Two Sicilies'), which extended from the Papal States south to include all of Sicily. Notes extraordinarily details with notations on both physical and political features. The Kingdom of Naples was the richest and largest Italian state before the Italian unification. During this time in history, following the defeat of Napoleon and the merging of Sicily and Naples into the Two Sicilies, the Island of Sicily witnessed revolts against the Bourbon rule in 1820 and 1848. The final revolution in 1848 resulted in the island gaining independence from Bourbon control for 16 months. This map's magnificent size, beautiful color, and high detail make this one of the finest maps of this region to appear in the early 19th century. Prepared by John Thomson for inclusion in the 1817 edition of Thomson's New General Atlas.