Homann, Johann Baptiste. Novisima & exactissima Totius Regni Neopolis Tabula... Nuremberg, ca. 1720[Italy]

Johann Baptiste Homann

Novisima & exactissima Totius Regni Neopolis Tabula... 

Nuremberg, ca. 1720

23 1/4" x 20"

This detailed and beautifully engraved map of the Kingdom of Naples, created by the prominent German cartographer Johann Baptiste Homann, reflects the increasing importance of southern Italy in the geopolitical landscape of early 18th-century Europe. Published during a period of shifting power dynamics in the region following the War of the Spanish Succession, the map captures the rich geography and administrative divisions of the Kingdom of Naples under Bourbon and Habsburg influence.

Homann’s map provides a meticulous representation of cities, fortresses, rivers, and mountain ranges, illustrating the strategic and economic significance of the region. The elaborate cartouche, a hallmark of Homann's work, features allegorical figures, coats of arms, and decorative embellishments that underscore the kingdom’s cultural and political prominence.

As a product of Homann's esteemed Nuremberg workshop, this map is both a practical document and a work of art, reflecting the Enlightenment-era desire for precision in geographic knowledge and its role in shaping European power and trade networks.