Benedetto Bordone (1460-1531)


Bordone Japan Bordone Japan

  • B. Bordone: Ciampagu. Venice 1528. Ca. 8 x 15 cm. (private collection)

    • This ist the earliest printed individual European map of Japan from Bordone's famous "Isolario" .

    Bordone was born in Padua. His best known work is:

    Benedetto Bordone, libro nel qual si ragiona de tutte l'Isole del mondo con li lor nomi antichi et moderni, historie, fanole, & modi del loro vivere, et in qual parte del mare stanno, et in qual parallelo et clima giacciono. Venegia, [Niccolo Zoppino],1528. (later editions: 1534, 1537, 1540, 1567 etc.)

    This "Book of Islands where we discuss about all islands of the world, with their ancient and modern names, histories, tales and way of living" contains 111 woodcut maps, one of them depicting Japan as Marco Polo had described it. Bordone also invented an oval depiction of the world.

    "Ciampagu", "Zipangv" is a transliteration of the Chinese name for Japan: ribenguo (riben=rising sun, guo=country).
    TOPTOP
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