Graeciae pars Septentrionalis - Laurie & Whittle 1794

📜 Description
Antique engraved map depicting the northern part of ancient Greece and the surrounding Balkan and Aegean territories, created by Guillaume Delisle and published in London by Laurie & Whittle in 1794 within the Complete Body of Ancient Geography. The composition represents Macedonia, Thrace, Epirus, Illyria and portions of Asia Minor according to the geographical and historical interpretation developed in eighteenth-century scholarly cartography.

The cartographic structure is organized through a rigorous territorial layout featuring coastlines, mountain ranges, rivers, islands and ancient settlements accompanied by extensive historical toponymy. The visual arrangement highlights the geographical relationships between the regions of ancient Greece and neighboring civilizations, while the articulated hydrographic and orographic systems reflect the scientific and documentary purpose of late eighteenth-century historical cartography.

The engraved title “Graeciae Pars Septentrionalis” appears along the lower margin, while comparative geographical scales and supplementary inset maps in the upper left corner reinforce the analytical and didactic character of the work. The engraving is executed with clear and precise linework, enhanced by period hand-coloring that contributes both to geographical readability and to the visual balance of the composition.

Representative of English Enlightenment publishing, the map stands as a significant testimony to the European interest in classical antiquity and in the historical reconstruction of the ancient Mediterranean world through scientific cartography.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Guillaume Delisle ranks among the leading European cartographers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, distinguished by the introduction of a modern scientific approach to geographical representation. His maps exerted a profound influence on later English and continental publishing.

This edition, reissued by Laurie & Whittle in London, belongs to the Complete Body of Ancient Geography, conceived as a geographical and historical repertory dedicated to the reconstruction of the ancient world. Works of this kind were frequently used in academic and antiquarian contexts and reflect the Enlightenment interest in classical geography, archaeology and the systematization of historical knowledge.

🧾 Technical Details
Type: Antique map
Author / Maker: Guillaume Delisle
Publisher / Printer: Laurie & Whittle
Place: London
Period: 1794
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Coloring: Contemporary hand-coloring
Subject / Title: Graeciae Pars Septentrionalis
Edition / Print Run: From Complete Body of Ancient Geography
Dimensions: Sheet 53.5 × 73.5 cm; engraved area 47 × 64 cm

🔍 Condition Report
Sheet in fair overall condition.
Professional restorations and staining visible along the lower margin.
Engraved surface remains legible with well-preserved cartographic details.
Blank verso.