OTTENS: MAP OF THE KINGDOM OF DALMATIA

Inventory number 174

Original title: Nouvelle carte du Royaume de Dalmacie divise en ses comtes, territories, etc la Morlaquie, la Bosnie, et la Servie, partie de la Hongrie, Croatie, Albanie, Istrie & du Royaume de Naples

Publishing year: 1745

Place of publishing and publisher: Amsterdam

Format: 45 x 59 cm

Technique: Coloured copper engraving

This map is a kind of compilation of the maps made by Coronelli, Rossi and Nolin. It was published in the atlas of brothers Ottens in Amsterdam, most probably in their "Atlas Major" of 1745. The map depicts all of the Croatian lands except for Istria showing their administrative-unit division. The boundaries, the same as the administrative units featured roughly show the medieval territorial organization pre-existing the Turkish invasion. So, in the region of Slavonia the counties of Požega and Valpovo are delineated, as well as "Mala Vlaška", in the area of Pakrac, and the Duchy of Srijem. In the Croatian territory south to the river Sava the rivers Gacka, Lika, Krbava and "Caribasa" are shown in the area around Lapac, and Morlakija flowing through the Velebit area. Dalmatia comprises the medieval counties of Nin, Sidraga, Knin, Livno, Imotski and Paratalassia. As is usual with most Venetian maps, Dalmatia includes the whole Herzegovina. The representation of Dalmatian borders is not based on facts, it rather expresses the attitude of the Venetians as regards the proper position of their border with the Turkish Empire. A mileage scale is expressed in Italian, Hungarian, German and Turkish miles and it is featured in the lower left corner of the map in a cartouche toped by the Venetian Lion and a Turkish soldier with the Ottoman shield in the background. In the lower right corner of the map a signature of the engraver O. Lindeman is placed.

OTTENS, JOACHIM

OTTENS FAMILY, publishers from Amsterdam. JOACHIM OTTENS (1663-1722), a founder of the workshop, a copper-plate engraver and publisher. His most well-known work is Austria from 1720. His workshop and shop of publishing art was inherited by his wife and sons. REINIER OTTENS (who died in 1750), and JOSHUA OTTENS (1726- 1766) were mapmakers and publishers, and sold maps and books. Their most well-known works are Mer Caspia from 1723, Copenhagen from 1728, Pocket Atlas from 1723, Atlas de Navigation from 1739 and Atlas Maior, published in 1745. Joshua Ottens was succeeded by his wife. In the 18th century, FREDERICK OTTENS made plates and maps for Velentyn’s publication Oost Indien and Marsigli’s Danube. His successors published N. America in 1755, Guerre en Amérique around 1760 and St. Eustatius in 1775.