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Africa Secundum Legitimas Projectionis Stereographicae Regulas…(Africa)
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This map of Africa, appeared in Homann’s Atlas Scholasticus. The title page of the atlas is labeled “Atlas Minor XXVI. Selectarum Tabularum Geographicum Homanni Secundum Methodum Huberni aliorumque recentorium geographorum dispositus et recognitus” – which translates as a selection of 26 geographic maps by Homann, arranged and revised according to the method of Hübner and other recent geographers. This scarce atlas, referred to as a Kleiner (meaning small/minor) atlas, included 26 selected maps by Homann, guided by Johann Hubner. This atlas also included a copper engraved, hand-colored title page as frontispiece from the Atlas Novus Terrarum Orbis Imperia by M. Rössler. Based on research, this atlas was most likely compiled between 1720 – 1737.
This 1737 Homann map is a detailed and decorative representation of the African continent. Drawn according to the “legitimate rules of stereographic projection,” the map reflects an early 18th-century European attempt to accurately depict Africa on a flat plane. Northern Africa is shown with relative precision, highlighting Mediterranean ports, trade routes, and the political boundaries of the Ottoman and North African states, while the central and southern regions blend known geography with conjectural elements, including rivers, lakes, and interior territories that were little explored at the time. The coastlines are carefully delineated to indicate major trading hubs and river mouths, important for European commerce and navigation. As typical of Homann’s work, the map includes decorative features such as ornate cartouches, allegorical figures, ships, and exotic animals, enhancing both its visual appeal and its scholarly value. It served a dual purpose: as a practical reference for scholars, explorers, and traders, and as a prestigious decorative object reflecting the cartographic and artistic sophistication of early 18th-century Europe.
Johann Baptist Homann (1663-1724) was a mapmaker who founded the famous Homann publishing company. He lived his entire life in Bavaria, particularly in Nuremberg. Initially, Johann trained to become a priest before converting to Protestantism and working as a notary. In 1702, Johann founded a publishing house that specialized in engravings. The firm flourished, becoming the leading map publisher in Germany and an important entity in the European map market. In 1715, Johann was named Imperial Geographer to the Holy Roman Empire by Charles VI and made a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Most importantly for his business, his reputation and contacts gained him imperial printing privileges which protected his publications and recommended him to customers. That privilege was noted on his maps as “Cum Priviligio.” Johann is best known for this Grosser Atlas ueber die ganze Welt, or the Grand Atlas of the World, published in 1716. After Johann died in 1724, the map plates and management of the company passed to his son, Johann Christoph (1703-1730). In Johann Christoph’s will, he stipulated that the company would be inherited by his two head managers – and that it would publish only under the name “Homann Heirs.” The firm continued in business until 1848.
Medium: Copper Engraving
Map Maker: Homann Heirs
Coloring: Original Hand Color
Year: 1737
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