As part of All Things Nordic’s continued celebration of Nordic heritage, exploration, and geography, we turn our gaze to a rare and fascinating historical artifact: Vincenzo Maria Coronelli’s 1695 map “Terre Artiche”—a beautifully engraved cartographic interpretation of the Arctic regions, featuring Greenland, Svalbard, and other northern lands that have long fueled the European imagination.
🧭 A Cartographic Journey into the Arctic
Created by Italian cosmographer Vincenzo Coronelli, Terre Artiche offers more than just an artistic rendering of the Arctic Circle—it represents the collision of knowledge, myth, and national ambition. As the official cartographer of the Republic of Venice, Coronelli was tasked not only with illustrating geography but also with upholding the geopolitical narratives of his time. Though conceived as part of his ambitious Atlante Veneto, Coronelli’s Arctic map is unique in its attempt to blend established knowledge with speculative geography. Known coastlines—such as those of Greenland, Spitzbergen (Svalbard), and Nova Zembla—are rendered with precision, while areas still shrouded in mystery, like the mythical Tabin Peninsula or lands bordering the elusive Northwest and Northeast Passages, are drawn with softer lines and poetic ambiguity.
🧊 The Nordic Elements: Greenland, Svalbard & Labrador
At the heart of the map lies Greenland, with a text panel recounting its legendary discovery by Eric the Red (Herico Russo) in 982 AD. This ties directly to Nordic sagas and the rich maritime history of the Norse, who pushed the boundaries of exploration long before Columbus. Coronelli acknowledges later Danish expeditions in 1379, reinforcing Greenland’s historical and political ties to the Nordic world. Svalbard (then referred to as “Spitzbergen”) also appears, adjacent to the creatively Italianized “Terra di Wiches”—a nod to early English explorers. While its precise location and contours are speculative, its inclusion reflects the growing European interest in the high Arctic, driven by whaling, trade routes, and scientific curiosity. To the west lies Terra Labrador, which Coronelli controversially attributes to a 14th-century Venetian voyage led by the Zeno brothers. This theory—though long debated—illustrates the competitive rush among European powers (including Venice) to establish precedence in New World discovery.
❄️ A Map of Myths, Ice, and Identity
One of the most visually striking features is the map’s central cartouche, artistically masking the actual North Pole with dramatic imagery of ice sheets. This aesthetic decision mirrors the mystery that the Arctic held in the European imagination—a place of eternal night and day, of frozen landscapes and untold riches. For Nordic nations, this map is a fascinating window into how their lands were perceived, interpreted, and sometimes mythologized by southern European powers. It reveals not only the geography of the time but the symbolic importance of the far North—as a frontier of exploration, a site of national pride, and a proving ground for seafaring legacies.
🧳 Travel and Collecting Tip: See It Yourself
This original 1695 engraving, measuring 18 x 24 inches, is currently available through The Map House in London—one of the world’s leading dealers of antique maps. For enthusiasts of Nordic history, cartography, and early exploration, it offers a rare chance to own a tangible link to an era when the edges of the world were still being charted.
🧠 Final Curiosity: What the Map Tells Us Today
Coronelli’s Terre Artiche is not just a relic—it’s a reminder that the North has always captivated minds across the continent. Whether imagined or observed, the Nordic lands have stood at the crossroads of myth and fact, resilience and wonder. In a modern age shaped by satellite images and GPS, this map reminds us of a time when cartography was an act of storytelling—and the North was its most mysterious chapter.
Stay tuned as All Things Nordic continues to uncover the layered past and vibrant present of the Nordic world—one map, city, and saga at a time.
