Johann Baptist Homann; c1663-1724.
Johann Christoph Homann, son; 1703-1730.
Homann heirs:
Johann Michael Franz; 1700-1761.
Johann Matthias Hase;1684-c1742. Aka Hasius.
Johann Georg Ebersperger; 1695-1760.
Homann established his map publishing business in Nuremberg
in 1702. He printed loose maps, but specialized in the production
of atlases. He developped a style of large and detailed maps,
with complex and ornate cartouches. He often borrowed from
known cartographers (such as Delisle, d'Anville and Chassereau),
often giving proper credit to the sources.
His first atlas earned him in 1707 a membership at the Berlin
Academy of Sciences. He was soon nominated Geographer to the
Emperor.
His son took over the business in 1724, which he then bequeathed
to his heirs, under the express condition of operating under
the mane of Homann heirs. The firm continued to turn in atlases
into the next century. Of note: the 1702 "Atlas novus terrarum"
re-edited till 1753, Neuer atlas, grosser atlas, and in 1747
the "Homannisher atlas" re-issued till 1780, etc.
Neu und verbesserter plan der st. u. hafens Havana
auf der ins. Cuba..
In may 1741 Thomas Bowles published a 1739 Pierre Chasserau
plan of Havana, based on the new bay coast line delineation
introduced in 1728 by Antoine Jean de Laval. A few years later
Bowles and the Homann heirs agreed to engrave a reduced version
of this plan (11 1/16" X 9 1/8"), to combine it with another
Chasserau reduced plan (Cartagena, dated 1739) on the same
sheet, and to publish it simultaneously both in London and
in Nuremberg.
These maps could have been prepared for the Homannisher Atlas
and the Atlas die Englische colonie-laender.
This plan is one of the scarcer and most sought after Havana
map. It shows great details: the anchorage, the lay of the
land, the roads, the walls and fortifications, the most important
buildings and the street lay out of the city, .
The inset is a stunning view of the city (derived from the
much larger 1671 depiction by Arnold Montanus), seen from
the harbor approach: on the left: the Morro mighty fort with
its light house. Across the channel: the Puntal fortress;
and between the two, a chain blocks access to the anchorage.
The town is shown to contain many large buildings and numerous
churches. The atmosphere is serene and peaceful: fishing boats
and ferries ply the waters, many country houses are scattered
in the foothills,.
The very martial top right cartouche gives a referenced list
of the town landmarks. The none-the-less martial cartouche
on the top left gives due credit to Chassereau (a huguenot
émigré operating in London).
No text on verso.
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