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1770 Delisle de Sales Map of the Argonautic Expedition
ArgonauticExpedition-sales-1770$225.00
Title
Carte de la Navigation des Argonautes Grecs, ou de l'Expedition de Jason pour servir a l'Histoire de la Grece.
1770 (undated) 9 x 13.5 in (22.86 x 34.29 cm)
1770 (undated) 9 x 13.5 in (22.86 x 34.29 cm)
Description
This is a fascinating example of the 1770 Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales' map of the Black Sea and surrounding regions illustrating the Argonautic Expedition. Depicting the mythical journey of Jason and the Argonauts, this map, centered on the Black Sea, covers from modern day Romania to Turkey. Numerous important towns and cities throughout. In Greek mythology, the Argonauts were heroes who during the Trojan War, accompanied Jason, the rightful king of Iolcos, in his quest for the Golden Fleece. They traveled from Iolcos (Lolchos) to Colchis (Colchide). The map identifies the route of the Argo (the name of their ship) according to the Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. The route for their return is also marked here, illustrated by ships sailing in the ocean. Jason is also believed to be the mythical founder of Ljubljana, Slovenia's capital city. Several rivers, mountains and other topographical details are noted. This map was issued as part of Delisle de Sales' Histoire des hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Ancienne. Becasue most of Sales' work was burnt under the censorship of heresy, this volume is exceedingly rare.
Cartographer
Jean-Baptiste-Claude Delisle de Sales or Jean-Baptiste Isoard de Lisle (1741–1816) was a French philosopher, historian, and accused heretic active in the late 18th century. Sales is best known for his publication of the multi-volume opus The Philosophy of Nature: Treatise on Human Moral Nature. The work, among other ideas, challenged the Biblical theory that the earth was created in 4004 BC. Instead, Sales put forth the theory based upon astronomical observations, that the earth was 140,000 years old. Sales' revolutionary ideas caused him to be declared a heretic by the Catholic Church. His publications were subsequently censored and, for the most part, destroyed. As a consequence all of his works are today extremely rare. Sales was also, notably, a close friend of Voltaire who in 1777 visited him in prison, gifting him 500 pounds towards his release. Delisle de Sales is unrelated to the more famous De L'Isle family of cartographers. More by this mapmaker...
Source
Delisle de Sales, Histoire des Hommes. Partie de l'Histoire Ancienne (Paris) 1770.
Condition
Very good. Original platemark visible. Minor wear along original folds. Blank on verso. Minor damage and verso reinforcement at two places near lower border.