Charming pictorial map of Italy drawn with painstaking craftsmanship by illustrator Ernest Dudley Chase, which is presented as an illustrated symphony of historic cities, monuments, landscapes and iconic characters. Each province is embellished with vignettes that recall iconic monuments, traditional crafts or typical products, inviting the viewer on an imaginary journey through the territory. The peninsula is painted in warm and inviting hues, suggesting the Mediterranean climate and vibrant landscape. Alongside architectural and natural beauty, Chase also includes references to rural life, traditional costumes, typical products and allegorical figures, blending the geographical aspect with the cultural and sentimental.The decorative apparatus is enriched with small inserts featuring some of Italy’s most famous attractions, offering a glimpse of the grandeur of its artistic and architectural heritage. These include the Colosseum in Rome, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Milan Cathedral, Piacenza Cathedral, the coast of Sorrento, Amalfi, Isola Bella on Lake Maggiore, and the romantic canals of Venice. The sea is enlivened by a myriad of elements that enrich its composition. Elegant sailing ships can be seen plying the waves, large cruise ships suggesting transoceanic voyages, sea monsters of classical reminiscence and small rowing boats, creating a sense of movement and life.
The map has no scientific intent, but rather narrative and evocative. It is a perfect example of “visual cartography,” capable of stimulating the imagination of the American public of the time and conveying an exotic, picturesque and deeply admired idea of Italy. The pictorial approach, typical of Chase’s production, transforms the map into a decorative work of art, intended more for contemplation than consultation.
The map published in Chicago in 1935 by the Colortext company is part of a fertile season of American illustrated cartography between the two world wars, where the map becomes an expressive medium for telling distant worlds in a tourist, educational and sentimental spirit.
Ernest Dudley Chase (1878-1966) was an American cartographer and illustrator known for his decorative and pictorial maps. His style was characterized by the use of detailed illustrations, vignettes, and a more artistic approach to cartography, often with a focus on tourism and local culture. His works were not just geographic tools, but true souvenirs and works of art that captured the imagination. Chase produced numerous maps of cities, states and countries, all with his distinctive narrative and visual touch.
Colortext Publications Inc. (Chicago) Active between 1933 and 1950, Colortext Publications Inc. was a publishing house based on South Michigan Avenue, which in 1935 launched the successful “Story Maps” series devoted to European countries and geographic areas, featuring vibrant colors and rich iconography . The first publications were related to the “International Exposition – Century of Progress” in Chicago (1933-34), later expanding to thematic illustrated maps . Although the origins and those responsible remain little known, Colortext collected artists such as Chase, Jacobson and others, and over the years was acquired by Paul J. Mandalbach; production ended in 1950 with the Story Map of the West Indies .
