1865 Vallardi Pictorial Bird's Eye View of Italy

This is a c. 1865 Antonio Vallardi bird's-eye view of Italy. The view is issued in an unusual south-oriented perspective as if seen from an orbital advantage high above the Italian Alps. It captures Italy as a whole amid the Risorgimento.

A Closer Look

Overlooking the Italian peninsula from the north, the Italian Alps occupy the foreground, while Sicily, Malta, and the North African coast appear in the background. Italy's cities, marked by shadowy groups of buildings, are labeled, including Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples. Ships ply the waters of the Mediterranean and the Adriatic, and both Mt. Etna and Mt. Vesuvius emit clouds of smoke. The city crests of Palermo, Turin, Venice, Florence, Naples, Milan, and Genoa flank the title. The crests of Rome and the Vatican are notably absent, underscoring the dogged independence of the Papal States in the otherwise successful drive for Italian national solidarity. Charts along the bottom border illustrate Italy's longest rivers and highest mountains.

Historical Context

In the 1860s, Italy was undergoing a period of consolidation and nationalization known as the Risorgimento, which translates to 'Resurgence' or 'Reawakening.' This era was defined by political and military events that led to the unification of Italy. Since the fall Roman Empire, the Italian peninsula was fragmented into small independent states, some of which were under foreign rule. The Second Italian War of Independence (1859) led to the annexation of Lombardy by the Kingdom of Sardinia. The momentum continued with plebiscites and military campaigns that facilitated the annexation of the central duchies, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and Venetia. The pivotal moment came in 1861 when the Kingdom of Italy was officially proclaimed under King Victor Emmanuel II. Rome and the Papal States remained under papal control until 1870, highlighting the incomplete but significant achievement of Italian unification during the 1860s.

Publication History and Census

This bird's-eye view was published by Antonio Vallardi from his publishing house in Milan c. 1865. This is the only known example.