Extremely rare map of the Gulf of Venice, or the Adriatic Sea, published in Venice by Stefano Scolari : Stefano Scolari formin in Venetia a Szulian. The Scale is approximately 1:440,000.
Depicts the Gulf of Venice, Friuli, the Gulf of Trieste, Istria, Slovenia, and Croatia. Adorned with Neptune’s chariot, Triton, a compass rose, and a scale topped by a compass.

See below the article devoted to this map published in "Early Modern Nautical Charts of the Adriatic Sea":
"Of an entirely different nature are the so-called Carte da terra, also referred to as Carte dello Stato da terra e da mar (maps of the land and maritime state), which were intended for the political-economic management of the Adriatic and its neighbouring territories. This latter designation reveals how the Venetian possessions were inseparably linked to the sea.

The Serenissima’s dominion was geographically organized into three entities: the Dogado, or the metropolitan territory of the Republic of Venice, encompassing the lagoons between Loreo and Grado, up to the mouth of the Isonzo; the Stato da terra or Dominio di Terraferma (Mainland Dominion), which included Veneto, Friuli, and parts of Lombardy, with boundaries extending to the Po, the Adda, the Alps, and the Karst Plateau; and the Stato da mar or Dominio marittimo (Maritime Dominion), a diverse array of possessions stretching from the Adriatic to the eastern Mediterranean, which included Istria, Dalmatia, Corfu, Morea, the Aegean Islands, and Crete (Cessi 1946, 1981). In their various aspects, the control and management of the territories within the Mainland Dominion and the Dogado inevitably led to the creation of countless maps and drawings. Despite their variety, these artefacts assert the political capacity for intervention exercised by the Dominant power.
Even within Carte da terra, however, it is possible to distinguish two distinct phases of production, differentiated by the scale of representation, which influenced both their conceptualization and symbolic value.

Examples produced at what could be termed a ‘regional’ scale sought to delineate a politically defined territory and to convey pragmatic information (boundaries, cities, geographical names, etc.), presenting an institutionalized image of the Venetian Dominion. On the contrary, at smaller scales, micro-area maps, characterized by their precision and richness of detail, were of a predominantly instrumental nature. They served as tools for administration and territorial understanding under public authority or were aimed at the management of private property (Sereno 2007).

In its dual public and private dimensions, this terrestrial cartography introduced a revolution in Venetian cartographic metrics: a shift from recording linear space—focused exclusively on the coastline—to areal metrics—representing the territory in its entirety. This transition marked the emergence of a new spatial perception tied to the evolving political role of the territory within the Dominions and the necessity of understanding the regions of the Mainland under the Venetian administration.
The transformation in representation reflected a broader geopolitical paradigm shift, where the maritime dimension (the sea) was increasingly integrated with the terrestrial component (the land), transitioning from maritime dominance to territorial control.
Several surviving examples attest to this pivotal transition. Among them is STEFANO SCOLARI’s map, which prominently highlights the boundaries of Venetian possessions and the geopolitical configuration of the northern Adriatic at the border with Austrian (Habsburg) territory (Fig. 4.4). This map is an exceptionally rare and aesthetically striking artefact. It delineates the shores of the upper Adriatic, from the mouth of the Po to the Dalmatian islands facing Zadar, and encompasses a territorial scope stretching from the Carnic tributaries of the Tagliamento to the Canal Valley, Ljubljana, and the mountains north of Zagreb. Even upon initial examination, the “political” nature of this document is immediately evident. It aims to depict the Serenissima’s dominions and celebrate its prominence. A […] line clearly demarcates Venetian territories, while the inscriptions “Italy ends here” emphasize a cultural boundary between Venetian lands and Austrian domains. Additionally, within the sea, the map features a sumptuous allegorical representation of Ducal Venice, placed alongside the grand inscription GOLFO DI VENETIA OVERO MARE ADRIATICO.
This inscription almost serves as an official declaration, emphasizing the natural continuity of jurisdiction between land and sea (Salgaro 2007)"

Stefano Scolari
Stefano Scolari was active between 1644 and 1687. He was a designer, engraver and editor from Brescia, although he practiced his trade in Venice. His shop, in S. Zulian under the sign of the Three Virtues, was one of the best known in seventeenth-century Venice. He engraved, printed, and traded in prints, particularly, maps. He specialized in the re-issue of important maps including Gastaldi's map of Lombardy and the 12-sheet map of Italy by Greuter.

A unique opportunity to acquire a fine example of a map from the early Lafreri School.!
Read more about the Lafreri School [+]

Reference: Josip Faričić - Tome Marelić Editors, Department of Geography, University of Zadar Zadar, Croatia. Early Modern Nautical Charts of the Adriatic Sea.