Lot 11
Map of Eretz Israel According to the Gaon of Vilna – Vilna, 1820/1821 – Hand-Colored Engraving
Map of Eretz Israel according to the Gaon of Vilna. Hand-colored engraving. [Vilna], [1820/1821]. This map was enclosed with the Horodna-Vilna 1820 edition of Neviim and Ketuvim with the commentaries of the Gaon of Vilna.
Detailed map of Eretz Israel, delineating the territories of the tribes and showing the towns in each territory (with small drawings of houses and cities), based on the Gaon of Vilna. The route of the Jewish people from Ramses to Eretz Israel is shown on the right of the map.
At the bottom of the map, on the Mediterranean Sea, there are two illustrations symbolizing the Land of Israel as "flowing with milk and honey": cows pasturing, with the caption "Milk" and fig cakes captioned "Honey". A lengthy inset inscription at the bottom-left corner indicates the creator of the map – "Dov Ber son of R. Yosef Yozpa, K.Sh. in Vilna", and the year 5581 (1820/1821). The inscription is topped by an illustration of an eagle, with the caption: "…I bore you on eagle's wings". The motifs at the bottom of the map (on the Mediterranean Sea) are based on Avraham son of Yaakov HaGer's famous map of Eretz Israel, printed in the Amsterdam 1695 Haggadah.
44X33 cm. Fair condition. Browned paper. Stains. Folding marks. Tears (mostly to margins and along folding marks). Entire leaf mounted on thick fabric.
