The map of the Theatre of War published in Genoa in 1914 by the Pietro Pellas lithographic printing company is a typical example of cartography produced during wartime, when maps became tools not only for geographical orientation but also for political understanding and emotional involvement in events.
The map shows almost the whole of Italy, with particular attention paid to the north and the Adriatic basin, areas that were crucial for military operations during the First World War. In the north-eastern Alpine region, it can be seen that Trentino, South Tyrol, Istria, and Dalmatia were not yet part of the Kingdom of Italy but were under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. This territorial configuration is typical of the period prior to the end of the First World War and the subsequent annexation of the so-called ‘irredentist’ territories. On the Balkan side of the Adriatic, too, there were state structures that would disappear after 1918, before the emergence of the new political balance in post-war Europe.
Pietro Pellas’s lithographic printing works, active in Genoa between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was part of the lively publishing and graphic production scene in Liguria during a period of strong industrial and cultural development.
Pietro Pellas worked as both a printer and lithographer, a dual skill set that characterized many modern printing works of the time. Lithography, in particular, allowed for effective and relatively inexpensive color printing, ideal for maps, posters, educational charts, and materials intended for wide circulation. The products attributable to the Pellas factory show a clear focus on legibility, color rendering, and the informative function of the printed image.
The factory is best known for its production of geographical maps, wall maps, school materials, and informative publications, often related to current political and military issues.
