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Paros - Antiparos

Like all the islands of the Aegean, Paros and Antiparos attract the attention of scholars and geographers with “Liber Insularum Archipelagi” a pioneering early 15th century cartographic manuscript by Cr. Buοndelmonti. Buondelmonti’s work became a model for the isolaria that followed, such as the first printed one, by B. dalli Sonneti (1485), who couples his maps with sonnets on the islands and B. Bordone (1547), in which maps are accompanied by myths, excerpts of island history and descriptions of their special features. Like all similar works, the isolario of Antonio Millo (1582-91) is enriched by engravings already published in contemporary editions. Antonio marks perillous waters on the maps of his isolaria, and uses the place names found in contemporary portolani.

Μ. Boschini’s edition, a small beautiful sample of Venetian engraving of the mid-17th century, includes a map of Paros and Antiparos, accompanied by an explanatory text with historical and geographical information.

Ol. Dapper’s edition (1688) is a work with highly elaborate engravings which was based mainly on ancient Greek and Latin sources, portolani, isolaria, contemporary travel accounts  and authoritative maps. Dapper published a map of the two islands and nearby islets as well as α table with ancient coins of Paros.

The anchorages of Paros are mapped in the significant port index by J. Roux (1804), while maps of the island are also included in the works by Ed.D. Clarke (1814) and M.G.F.A. Choiseul Gouffier (1782). In his monumental work, Choiseul -Gouffier expressed the love of antiquity and the philhellenism of his time in a most fascinating style. He also provides a view of the entrance to the ancient marble quariies and a scene of everyday life on the island. The first representation of a female costume from Paros is found in an early modern work, that of N. De Nicolay (1580), the first to depict human types of the Ottoman empire.

Drawings and plans of ancient sites, as well as inscriptions, are published in the highly important work by J. Stuart / N. Revett (1816), who by their thorough and accurate measurements and delineations gave a prominent position to ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The plans and drawings of one of the major works of W. M. Leake (1825, photomechanical reprint 1967) show how meticulously and systematically the spaces and monuments were recorded by the passionate archaeologist and topographer.

The drawings by C.F.T.C. D’Aligny (1843) are invaluable to the history of the excavations and the archaeological site of the temple of Apollo, whose aspect has changed over time. Paros island can be distinguished in the background.

From the second half of the 19th century onwards, the modalities of subjective, partial representation of space are subverted by the appearance of photography. This technique becomes the most powerful means of representation, albeit always bearing the seal of the individual photographer. Fred Boissonnas' work constituted a landmark in the history of photography (Fr. Boissonnas/ D. Baud-Bovy, 1919). The artist focuses on the ancient remains on  the island, the church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani (of which also a photo by E. Reisinger, 1923), views of landscapes and naturally on the ancient quarries, with passion and sensitivity. The wood engtavings, water colours and photographs (1935) transmit Fr. Perilla's love and enthusiasm for the Cyclades islands, as well as his artistic sensitivity.

The famous Cave of Antiparos, with its stalactites and stalagmites is depicted for the first time in J. Pitton de Tournefort's account of his journey to the Aegean islands (1717), a work containing a wealth of information, which became thenceforth an indispensable guide to all travellers to the Archipelago. Views of the cave are also found in the works by R. Dalton (1751), El. Craven (1789), M.G.F.A. Choiseul Gouffier (1782) and Cr. Wordsworth (in the 1882 edition). It never ceased to attract travellers' interest; two gracious scenes in the cave illustrate the work of  J. Auldjo (1835).  Finally,  F.F. Boissonnas's photograph of 1919 shows that engravings of the previous centuries had achieved to render the cave quite faithfully.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou