1785 Zatta Map of Paraguay and the Neighboring Countries

A beautiful example with unusual detail.

A beautiful example of Antonio Zatta's 1785 map of Paraguay. The map embraces the Rio de la Plata watershed well into Brazil and the Amazon, and includes the modern-day nations of Uruguay, Paraguay, and parts of adjacent Brazil and Argentina. Rich detail is offered throughout, naming mountains, rivers, national boundaries, cities, regions, and indigenous tribes. Identifies Asuncion, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and numerous other important South American cities.

Sources and Puzzling Details

Much of this map bears a strong resemblance to the 1771 Bonne map of Paraguay, and the two maps appear to share the bulk of their cartography from the 1758 d'Anville Amerique Meridionale. The focus of the Zatta is slightly to the west of that used on the Bonne, in order to include Potosi, the infamous mining city which for centuries was the location of the Spanish colonial silver mint. But beyond this, almost all detail to the west of the Rio de la Plata appears to derive from a different, unknown source, other than d'Anville. There are some areas that show similarity to Jesuit cartography of the first part of the 18th century, but the provenance of Zatta's data here is anything but clear.

Laguna de Xarayes

The map features a prominent Lake of Xarayes at the northern terminus of the Paraguay River. 'Xarayes' is a corruption of 'Xaraies' meaning 'Masters of the River.' The Xaraies were an indigenous people occupying what are today parts of Brazil's Matte Grosso and the Pantanal. When Spanish and Portuguese explorers first navigated up the Paraguay River, as always in search of El Dorado, they encountered the vast Pantanal flood plain at the height of its annual inundation. Understandably misinterpreting the flood plain as a gigantic inland sea, they named it after the local inhabitants, the Xaraies. The Laguna de los Xarayes almost immediately began to appear on early maps of the region and, at the same time, almost immediately took on a legendary aspect as the gateway to El Dorado. The presence on this map of an actual city overflowing with silver, Potosi, makes the presence of this fictitious treasure-source all the more puzzling.

Distinctive and Attractive

Zatta's maps are notable for adhering to a uniform format, and happily this format included elegantly engraved and pleasantly colored cartouches. This one is no exception. It depicts a river scene, with a tiny, primitive hut, what appears to be a sailboat of reeds with remarkably modern rigging, and bales and barrels of trade goods piled upon the shore for the taking.

Publication History and Census

The map was engraved by Giovanni Pitteri for inclusion in Zatta's Atlante Novissimo. Perhaps a dozen examples of the atlas are cataloged in OCLC. The separate map does appear on the market but is neglected completely as a separate map in institutional collections.

Cartographers

Antonio Zatta (1722 - February 16, 1804) was a Venetian printer and publisher whose illustrated books and atlases made him a leading figure in late 18th-century Italian publishing. Born in Venice into a printing family active since 1656, he attempted to relocate to Rovereto in 1752, but Venetian authorities blocked the move. The merchant Amedeo Svajer financed his early ventures. His connections with the Jesuits, including publications defending the order under false imprints (1760 - 1761), attracted controversy, although these ties weakened during the 1760s. Geography became a major undertaking: he published Anton Friedrich Büsching's Nuova geografia in 34 volumes (1773 - 1782), followed by the four-volume Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto (1779 - 1785), comprising approximately 240 maps. Portions appeared separately, notably Le colonie unite dell'America settentr.le, an Italian adaptation of John Mitchell's 1755 map. His geographical publications also included Cook's voyages (1794 - 1795) and the map-illustrated political periodical Prospetto degli affari attuali dell'Europa (1788 - 1801). Beyond cartography, he published literature, medicine, and Buffon's natural history (1782 - 1791), cultivating collaborations with leading Venetian illustrators and engravers. His sons Giacomo and Giovanni joined the business in 1783; the printing house closed shortly after his death.   Further Details...

Giovanni Marco Pitteri (1703 - 1767 OR August 4, 1786) was a Venetian engraver of the late baroque period. He is best known for his portraiture, characterized by superb, dense and realistic shading. Little is known of his education though he its thought to have trained under Giovanni Antonio Faldoni. He was the engraver of dozens of maps executed for Antonio Zatta's 1784 Atlante novissimo, which benefited greatly from the artist's skill in the shading of topographical features, and in the map's artful cartouches.   Further Details...

Source

Zatta, A. Atlante novissimo, illustrato ed accresciuto sulle osservazioni, e scoperte fatte dai piu celebri e piu recenti geografi. In Venezia MDCCLXXXIV (1784), Antonio Zatta, Venice 1785.    

Condition

Very good condition. Some surface abrasion at lower right with no loss to image. Original hand color.

References

Rumsey 11598.244.