Historic Map : Wells Map of Italy, 1712, Vintage Wall Art

This is an uncommon 1712 map of Italy inclusive of the adjoining islands of Sardinia, Corsica and Sicily by Edward Wells of Oin xford. It extends north as far as Lake Geneva and Germany and from France to the Gulf of Venice and the Adriatic Sea, noting towns, cities, rivers, mountains, islands and other topographical features. At the time this map was made, most of Italy was under Spanish control. Following the War of Spanish Succession, Spain would lose many of its territories in Italy to Habsburg Austria, making Austria the dominant power in Italy.

A decorative cartouche appears on the top right quadrant of the map featuring the coat of arms of the Duke of Gloucester. This, like many other Wells maps, is dedicated to Prince William, Duke of Gloucester and son of Queen Anne, who, when this map was being prepared, was a student at Oin xford. Engraved by Sutton Nicholls and published by T. Bonwicke for the 1712 edition of Edward Wells' Atlas, A New Sett of Maps both of Ancient and Present Geography.