One of the most desirable maps from Antonio Zatta’s ‘Atlante Novissimo’ is this early map of New Zealand. Although being discovered by Abel Tasman in 1642, the region was not visited again until Captain James Cook arrived on 8 October 1769. He remained for several months exploring the coastlines and disproving the theory that it was part of a southern continent.

Zatta’s map is derived from that of Cook but is much more decorative version than the official map. Indeed, Cook’s tracks are recorded on the map and records a remarkably accurate coastline with only a small amount of coastline remaining uncharted. Amongst these is Stewart Island off of the southern island. Navigational readings are present in numbers. Topographical detail is recorded, most notably the mountain ranges. Both European and Maori names are recorded. The whole is adorned by an attractive title cartouche

Zatta (c.1722-1804) was based in Venice and his most renowned work is the four-volume quarto ‘Atlante Novissimo’ published between 1775 and 1785 which was intended to accompany the ‘Nuovo Geografia’. That work was an Italian translation of a geographical treatise by Anton Friedrich Busching. This attractive desirable map is from that work. Phillips (1907-) 650; Shirley (2004) T.Zat 1a v.4, no. 51no. 36??; Valerio (1988).