Discoveries in the Pacific : decorative map
This beautiful first edition map by European cartographer Antonio Zatta is the first decorative map to show Cook’s seatracks in the Pacific. The map records discoveries made during James Cook’s Endeavour voyage to Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and the South Pacific, during 1769-1770, as well as showing the tracks of Commodore Byron with Captain Mouat in 1765 and later Samuel Wallis aboard the Dolphin partnering Phillip Carteret commanding the Swallow in 1767. The charting of the east coast of Australia and New Zealand is shown in detail, based on Cook’s map of the region, the ‘Chart of part of the South Seas’.
The decorative hand-coloured vignette at the bottom of the map features a ship which is almost certainly Cook’s ship, the Endeavour. Antonio Zatta also published a beautifully produced set of atlases, Atlante Novissimo, which included the discoveries of Cook.
Nuove scoperte fatte nel 1765, 67, e 69 nel Mare del Sud. [Venice : Antonio Zatta, 1779-1785]. G. Zuliani, scl. ; G.V. Pasquali, scri. Map, coloured. Z/M2 910/1770/1
