Museo Correr

Museo Correr

SPHERES OF THE HEAVENS SPHERES OF EARTH. Celestial and terrestrial globes (16th-20th century)

Livio Sanudo (1520 – 1576)

This cartographer and maker of scientific instruments would – together with his brother Giulio, an engraver – create some of the most important geographical works produced in Venice during the second half of the sixteenth century. These included the 1588 Geografia della Africa (an atlas in 12 parts) and a terrestrial globe of the sizeable diameter of 68.5cm. Until recently, this latter work was known to us solely through a series of printed lunes. During research in preparation for this exhibition a unique discover was made within the Correr collection: the only known example of these lunes mounted as a globe.