Mapa jako książka. O ramie wydawniczej, dedykacjach i nietypowym przypadku Eilharda Lubinusa

Abstract

W artykule podjęto problematykę przeniesienia właściwości budowy książki drukowanej na mapę nowożytną (XVI–XVIII w.). Określono kilka cech, takich jak dedykacja, spis treści i frontyspis, mających swój odpowiednik także na mapie. Kwestię dedykacji poszerzono, wyodrębniając zespół dedykacji różnych kartografów i wydawców dla Eilharda Lubinusa. Jest to nietypowa sytuacja, bowiem z reguły map nie dedykowano innym kartografom a mecenasom, od woli i szczodrości których zależało powodzenie kartograficznego przedsięwzięcia – teraz i w przyszłości.

Editions of maps in the 16th and 17th centuries were attempts to transfer the principles of the book to the needs of cartography. This applied not only to the atlas but also to the composition of a single map. This transfer comprised the use of the so-called literary publishing frame, which in the book consisted of texts accompanying the main text, including the dedication. Dedications on maps took various forms, more or less elaborate and graphically ornate. They were addressed to the same audience: patrons, rulers and the wealthy, of whom the author of the map was in some way dependent. In almost all cases, they used similar language or structures. In addition to the dedication, the map also adopted other elements of the publishing frame: an ornamental frontispiece (title cartouche), the publisher’s address, and the table of contents (map legend). As with a printed book, sometimes all of these elements were present, and sometimes only some of them. Among the dedications on the maps, statements addressed to cartographers are essentially absent. The map could be dedicated to a patron (real or potential) but not to a “competitor” for the patron’s favour. Therefore, a set of cartographic artefacts of various authors from the Amsterdam circle dedicated to Eilhard Lubinus, the author of the maps of Rügen and the Duchy of Pomerania, appears to be quite unique. They include maps of Bohemia by Petrus Kaerius, Asia by Henricus Hondius, and a globe of the Earth by Johannes de Rama. As regards Johannes de Rama, there is also the issue of dating and authorship of a work that was probably written long after Lubinus’ death. The fact that works were dedicated to Lubinus, while their subject matter was in no way related to his cartographic interests or background, remains an additional mystery. It seems that at least in one case a friend was to be honoured – Lubinus knew Hondius, and the map of Asia was created exactly 10 years after the Rostock scholar’s death.