Matthaus Seutter: Amplissima Ucraniae Regio
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Cartographer:
|
Matthaus Seutter
|
|
Title:
|
Amplissima Ucraniae Regio
|
|
Date:
|
c. 1730
|
|
Published:
|
Augsburg
|
|
Width:
|
23 inches / 59 cm
|
|
Height:
|
19 inches / 49 cm
|
|
Map ref:
|
RUS2591
|
|
Description:
|
|
Important map of Ukraine region, and one of the few to use the name at this time.
The name Ukraine was initially popularized by the French military engineer Guillaume La Vasseur de Beauplan who worked for the Polish Crown in the 17th century and also drew the first map of this region in 1648. Beauplan described it as a “territory between Muscovy and Transylvania.
It had risen in prominence on the international stage as the most recent theatre of war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire (Russo-Turkish War of 1735-9).
Seutter’s interest in the region and the war was most likely driven by the identity of the main Russian commander, Burkhard Christoph, Gran von Munnich, who had risen to the rank of Field Marshall and who was widely recognized as the architect of the Russian victory. He was also a native of Saxony, in Germany and thus quickly came to the attention of the German public, providing lucrative sales for Seutter’s business.
Geographically, the map is derived from De L’Isle’s maps of the region issued twenty years previously, but Seutter has added considerable detail, likely to have been provided by several maps of the region commissioned by the Empress Anna of Russia from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Notably, it is also one of the few maps which uses the name “Ucraine” or Ukraine on the title. The cartouche is typically flamboyant , illustrated with wheat, cattle, gold and figures representing Demeter, the goddess of the harvest and Hermes, the Messenger. Original hand colour. [RUS2591] |