One of the most significant features of the Atlas of Borso d’Este is the representation of Ptolemy's Cosmographia, a major milestone in Humanism.
Ptolemy's Cosmographia and Florentine Renaissance
The Ptolemaic vision of the world was handed down to the Middle Ages through the Greek manuscripts which were rediscovered during the fifteenth century when in cities such as Florence – artistically and culturally thriving – new geographic, scientific, and cartographic researches were developed.
It's in this backdrop that Florentine workshops focused on the creation and illumination of some of the most beautiful copies of Ptolemy's works. These creations were so popular that Renaissance's most influential leaders such as the king of France Louis XII, Matthias Corvino, Borso d'Este duke of Ferrara, and Federico da Montefeltro contended to add these manuscripts to their libraries.
The Atlas of Borso d'Este and its Author: Niccolò Germanico
In particular, the Atlas of Borso d'Este is one of the most exquisite atlases from Renaissance and as its title suggests, it was owned Borso, duke of Ferrara, who bought it from the German humanist Niccolò Germanico, author of the work, in 1466 at the price of 100 florins.
The manuscript bears the Latin translation of Ptolemy's Cosmographia by Jacopo Angelo da Scarperia and features twenty-seven geographical maps re-elaborated using trapezoid projections.
The maps were drawn in such a way that the first one exhibits an overview of the whole world (as it was known at the time), while the remaining twenty-six focus on individual regions and are accompanied by an explanatory text.
Example of Connection between Art and Science
The Atlas of Borso d'Este is an outstanding example of the tight connection between art and science. It bears testimony to the thriving scientific and cultural atmosphere of the time, reflecting the thirst for knowledge and the desire to push boundaries at the discovery of the unknown.
Representing a fundamental tool for sea and land expeditions, the Atlas of Borso still shows excellent conditions which seems to support the idea that the manuscript was made to be displayed rather than to be used.
Unfortunately, the Atlas of Borso d’Este, like many medieval manuscripts, lost its original binding. For this reason, the Estense Library, where the manuscript is currently kept, requested a new calf leather binding with dry and golden impressions and with the impression of the title.
Mojawapo ya mambo muhimu zaidi ya Atlas ya Borso d'Este ni uwakilishi wa Cosmographia ya Ptolemy, hatua muhimu katika Humanism. Ptolemy's Cosmographia na Renaissance ya Florentine Maono ya Ptolemy ya ulimwengu yalipitishwa hadi Enzi za Kati kupitia hati za Kigiriki ambazo ziligunduliwa tena wakati wa karne ya kumi na tano wakati katika miji kama vile Florence - inayofanikiwa kisanii na kitamaduni - utafiti mpya wa kijiografia, kisayansi, na ramani ulibuniwa. Katika mazingira hayo, maonyesho ya Florentine yalikazia kazi ya kutengeneza na kuangaza baadhi ya nakala nzuri zaidi za kazi za Ptolemy. Maandishi hayo yalipendwa sana hivi kwamba viongozi mashuhuri wa Enzi ya Renaissance kama vile mfalme wa Ufaransa Louis XII, Matthias Corvinus, Borussia Dortmund, Duke wa Ferrara, na Federico da Montefeltro walijitahidi kuongeza maandishi hayo katika maktaba zao. "Atlas ya Borso d'Este ni ""Atlas ya Borso d'Este"" iliyoandikwa na Mjerumani Niccolò Germanico, ambaye aliinunua kutoka kwa mwanafalsafa wa Ujerumani Niccolò Germanico mnamo 1466 kwa bei ya Florins 100." Hati hiyo ina tafsiri ya Kilatini ya Ptolemy's Cosmographia iliyoandikwa na Jacopo Angelo da Scarperia na ina ramani ishirini na saba za kijiografia zilizotengenezwa upya kwa kutumia michoro ya trapezoid. Ramani hizo zilitengenezwa kwa njia ambayo moja ya kwanza inaonyesha muhtasari wa ulimwengu wote (kama ilivyokuwa inajulikana wakati huo), wakati wengine ishirini na sita huzingatia mikoa ya mtu binafsi na zinafuatana na maandishi ya ufafanuzi. Mfano wa Uhusiano Kati ya Sanaa na Sayansi Atlas ya Borso d'Este ni mfano bora wa uhusiano wa karibu kati ya sanaa na sayansi. Ina ushahidi wa hali ya kisayansi na kitamaduni ya wakati huo, ikionyesha kiu ya maarifa na hamu ya kusukuma mipaka katika ugunduzi wa haijulikani. Kwa kuwa Atlas ya Borso ilikuwa muhimu sana katika safari za baharini na za nchi kavu, bado inaonekana kuwa katika hali nzuri sana, na hilo linaonyesha kwamba hati hiyo ilitengenezwa ili ionyeshwe badala ya kutumiwa. Kwa kusikitisha, Atlas ya Borso d'Este, kama hati nyingi za kale za enzi za kati, ilipoteza kiunganishi chake cha awali. Kwa sababu hiyo, Maktaba ya Estense, ambako hati hiyo inahifadhiwa sasa, iliomba kifuniko kipya cha ngozi ya ndama chenye michoro ya rangi ya dhahabu na yenye uchoro wa kichwa.