Piero Falchetta

This paper intends to provide an epistemological reflection on the problem of the representability of space.The author's core argument is that the aporia of the representation of space is mainly revealed by geographical maps. More precisely, a territory cannot be described exaustively by a map. Never- theless, the author argues that the process of hominization starts precisely when human beings attempt to describe their ambient in order to identify dangers and opportunities. From a philosophical view-point, such an originary aporia of space develops throughout the different perspectives on the con- cepts of topos and chora.

but also one of the most noble, endeavours we can undertake. And when what we are preserving is a large world map whose extraordinary precision gives us a vivid idea of how the world was seen by the men and women of five hundred years ago, that task becomes not only demanding but also highly rewarding. Fra’ Mauro’s world map was produced in Venice around the year 1450, and its restoration - made possible by substantial funding from the Libraries Department of the Italian Ministry for Culture, Heritage and Tourism – is one of the most significant projects the Biblioteca Marciana has undertaken in recent years. But that project did not simply involve a delicate process of cleaning and the restoration/reinforcement of parts that had been damaged over time. From the very beginning, our intention was to make the map easier to consult. Hence a new display case was created to offer greater protection, and a cold-light system of illumination installed that does not damage the parchment, inks or pigments. All of this work was carried out with great skill and dedication by Studio P. Crisostomi in Rome and by the AR Company of Padua, to both of which the Library is grateful. The project involved dismounting the entire world map, and thus offered a perfect opportunity to study the work in close detail. Taking full advantage of the occasion, the publishers Imago, who have for years specialised in producing prestige facsimiles, engaged expert craftsmen to create a three-dimensional facsimile of the entire artefact. Their painstaking labour made it possible to combine ancient techniques of wood-working with the most modern digital technologies, achieving an end-result which captures every single detail of the image and text in such a manner that it is difficult to distinguish between it and the original. That facsimile is now accompanied by this book, the work of Piero Falchetta, a librarian at the Biblioteca Marciana who has long studied Fra’ Mauro’s world map. Text and facsimile together make it possible to fully appreciate this splendid object and its history. Maurizio Messina Director of the Marciana National Library

Summary Some problems related to the readability of originally analogical maps when trans- formed into digital copies and the relevant 'screen-views' are discussed with respect to the technological and social complexities of the issue involving at last the domi- nant question of the human perception and cognition in approaching the study of maps. The subject meets its modern justification in approaching the process of digi- talisation of maps as historical documents, which is now a challenging task for all in- stitutions safeguarding cultural heritage. Criteria and conventions What criteria come into play when we read a digital rendition of an analogical work of cartography (which in most cases is a map drawn on paper)? The answer to this question brings into focus the full complexity of an issue that involves technology (the resources used in producing, distributing and employing the map), legal and administrative matters (the protection of intellectual copyright), cultural...

but also one of the most noble, endeavours we can undertake. And when what we are preserving is a large world map whose extraordinary precision gives us a vivid idea of how the world was seen by the men and women of five hundred years ago, that task becomes not only demanding but also highly rewarding. Fra’ Mauro’s world map was produced in Venice around the year 1450, and its restoration - made possible by substantial funding from the Libraries Department of the Italian Ministry for Culture, Heritage and Tourism – is one of the most significant projects the Biblioteca Marciana has undertaken in recent years. But that project did not simply involve a delicate process of cleaning and the restoration/reinforcement of parts that had been damaged over time. From the very beginning, our intention was to make the map easier to consult. Hence a new display case was created to offer greater protection, and a cold-light system of illumination installed that does not damage the parchment, ink...

c
Comparative study of the first chapter in the two manuscripts of the 'Storia del Mogol', written by the Venetian adventurer Nicolò Manuzzi. The first manuscript, in Italian, contains the first version of the text. The second manuscript, in Portuguese, contains the text in the final version established by the author