Harley MS 7182

This manuscript contains an illustrated copy of the Geographia (Geography), an atlas and treatise on cartography originally written by the Greek mathematician and astronomer Claudius Ptolemy (b. c. 100, d. c. 170), in a Latin translation by the Renaissance humanists Manuel Chrysoloras (b. c. 1355, d. 1415) and Jacopo d'Angelo (b. c. 1360, d. 1411). This copy of the work is dedicated to Pope Alexander V (r. 1409-1410).

The manuscript's scribe was responsible for at least two other manuscripts: a copy of the letters of St Jerome (Barcelona Univ. 291) and another copy of Ptolemy's Geographia (Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, B. 52 inf.) (see de la Mare, 'New Research on Humanistic Scribes' (1985), I, p. 548).

Other illustrated copies of Ptolemy's Geographia in the British Library include Burney MS 111, Harley MS 3686, and Harley MS 7195.

Contents:

ff. 1r-107r: Ptolemy, Geographia, translated by Manuel Chrysoloras and Jacopo d'Angelo.

Decoration:

28 maps in blue, red and gold (ff. 58v-59r, 60v-61r, 62v-63r, 64r, 65r, 66v-67r, 68v-69r, 70v, 71r, 72v-73r, 74v-75r, 76v-77r, 78v-79r, 80v-81r, 82v-83r, 84v-85r, 86v-87r, 88v-89r, 90v-91r, 92v-93r, 94v-95r, 96v-97r, 98v-99r, 100r, 101r, 101v-103r, 104v-105r, 106r). An added sketch of an elephant with an inscription in French and a coat of arms probably belonging to the Ruffoli family of Florence (on a separate bifolia) (f. i verso). 4 diagrams outlining geographical principles (ff. 8v, 9r x 2, 9v). 1 three-sided white vine border in colours and gold, a large historiated initial enclosing a portrait of Jacopo d'Angelo presenting a copy of the text to Pope Alexander V, and two putti supporting a wreath designed to hold a coat of arms left blank (f. 1r). 1 partial white vine border in colours and gold with a large historiated initial enclosing a portrait of Ptolemy (f. 2r). 6 large white vine initials in colours and gold (ff. 10r, 19v, 29v, 37r, 46v, 53r). 53 smaller white vine in initials in colours (ff. 2r, 2v, 3r x 3, 3v, 4r, 2r x 4v, 5r, 5v, 2r x 6, 2r x 6v, 2 x 7, 2 x 7v, 2 x 8, 8v, 9r, 57r, 57v, 58, 59v, 60r, 61v, 63v, 64v, 65v, 67v, 69v, 71v, 73v, 75v, 77v, 79v, 81v, 83v, 85v, 87v, 89v, 91v, 93v, 95v, 97v, 99v, 100v, 101v, 103v, 105v). Plain initials in blue. Decorative headpieces above the tabulae. Rubrics in red.

The manuscript's decoration has been attributed to the Florentine manuscript illuminator Francesco di Antonio del Chierico (b. 1433, d. 1484) (see de la Mare, 'New Research on Humanistic Scribes' (1985), I, p. 548).

The subjects of the maps are as follows:

ff. 58v-59r: a world map, entitled 'Totius Orbis Habitabilis Brevis Description', with personifications of the twelve winds and the signs of the zodiac;

ff. 60v-61r: the British Isles, with part of Gaul and Germany;

ff. 62v-63r: Spain, with part of Gaul;

f. 64r: Gaul;

f. 65r: Germany;

ff. 66v-67r: Retia, Vindelicia, Noricum, Pannonia, Liburnia, Illyris, and Dalmatia, with the Adriatic Sea;

ff. 68v-69r: Italy, Corsica, and the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea;

ff. 70v-71r: Sardinia, Sicily, and the adjacent islands;

ff. 72v-73r: Sarmatia;

ff. 74v-75r: Dacia, Mysia, and Thrace;

ff. 76v-77r: Greece, and the adjacent islands;

ff. 78v-79r: Mauritania Tingitanica and Mauritania Caesariensis;

ff. 80v-81r: Africa, between the Numidicus Sinus and Cyrene;

ff. 82v-83r: Cyrene and Egypt;

ff. 84v-85r: Marmarica and Ethiopia;

ff. 86v-87r: Asia Minor;

ff. 88v-89r: Sarmatia;

ff. 90v-91r: Colchis, Iberia, Albania, and Armenia Minor;

ff. 92v-93r: Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Babylonia;

ff. 94v-95r: Assyria, Susiana, Media, and Parthia;

ff. 96v-97r: South Arabia and Carmania;

ff. 98v-99r: Hyrcania, Margiana, Bactriana, the Sogdiani, the Sacae, and part of Scythia;

f. 100r: part of Scythia and Serica;

f. 101r: Aria, Drangiana, Gedrosia, Arachosia, and the Paropanisadae;

ff. 102v-103r: part of India;

ff. 104v-105r: part of India and the Sinae;

f. 106r: Taprobana, and the adjacent islands.