Tinos attracts the attention of scholars and geographers together with the other Greek islands with “Liber Insularum Archipelagi” a pioneering chartographic manuscript by Cr. Buondelmonti of early 15^th century. Buondelmonti’s work became a model for the isolaria that followed, such the ones by B. dalli Sonetti (1485) and Β. Bordone (1547). Sonetti's maps are accompanied by sonnets on each island while Bordone (1547) notes information on myths, climate and history of the islands on his idiosyncratic maps.

In the late 16^th century Tinos appears in G. Fr. Camocio’s isolario, a  groundbreaking work for its era, which influenced later isolaria such as G. Rosaccio's (1598) and lent its illustrations to pilgrim chronicles (H. Beauvau, 1615).

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.

In Μ. Boschini’s edition, which is a small beautiful sample of Venetian engraving of the mid-17^th century, the map of Tinos is followed by an explanatory text with historical and geographical information. The isolario of Fr. Piacenza (1688) includes superbly engraved maps and a wealth of material on the Aegean islands, Cyprus and the Peloponnese.

Ol. Dapper’s edition (1688), a work with highly elaborate engravings which was based mainly on ancient Greek and Latin sources, portolani, isolaria, contemporary travel accounts and reliable maps, includes a map of Tinos, a table of ancient coins and a view of the impressive settlement among its rich material. In the map by Fr. Basilicata (1618), topography and morphology are highlighted through skillful use of colour, while special attention has been given to the depiction of every detail related to the island's economic life.

The subjects of the illustrations which accompany this edition of J. Spon 's voyage (1678), which is highly significant for the author's pioneering exploration of ancient sites, are novel and groundbreaking for their time. Most of the pictures are first-ever depictions of archaeological sites and ruins.

The works by well-known engraver J.v. Sandrart (1686) show the influence of similar copper engravings dating from the late 16^th century and /or imitate contemporary influential treatises on geography and history. The editions by J. Peeters in the late 17^th century (1686 and 1690) also exalt the victories of the Holy League in the Ottoman-Venetian wars. The plates show cities, ports and other locations in Austria, Southeastern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and places in Asia all the way to India and Saudi Arabia. The plates in the work by J. Sandrart (1687) show castles and other location, in their majority under Ottoman rule. Several similar works which highlight the victories of the Venetians against the Ottomans in the Sixth Ottoman-Venetian War (1684-1699) were released during the same period.  

J.J. Struys' chronicle (1681) is replete with paradoxes and inaccuracies. His views of Tinos and Patmos are highly interesting in this respect. The actual geography and morphology of both islands and the placement of their settlements point us to to the conclusion that the view of Patmos is in reality a depiction of Tinos and vice versa. 

J. Seller was the creator of the first detailed mapping of the Mediterranean coast, titled “English Pilot...” . First published in the 17^th century, it was repeatedly reissued and continued to be used down to the 19^th century (here in the 1771 edition). Seller's works established the use of the English language in maritime charts and greatly influenced later cartographic editions. It includes maps of the local shores.

J. Pitton de Tournefort' s account of his journey to the Aegean islands (1717 ) contained a wealth of information and became thenceforth an indispensable guide to all travellers to the Archipelago. His images of Tinos include female dress, a map of the island and a view of the port. Of the engravings of costumes and ethnicities found in the highly successful edition with J.B. Van Mour's work, accompanied by texts on everyday life in the East, the female costumes from Tinos were among the most impressive and inspired later similar editions (F.C. Baltimore, 1769).

A. de La Mottraye's work (1727) is embellished with striking engravings of rare subjects. Some of them consist of fictitious scenes, created by copying and combining figures and themes from contemporary editions. Such is the dance of the women of the Archipelago, which includes a woman from the islabd. This engraving is included in Ph. Argenti's annotated edition on traditional costume (1953). Three engravings showing women from Tinos are found in the monumental work of M.G.F.A. Choiseul-Gouffier. This work expressed the love of antiquity and the philhellenism of the era in new and original fashion, establishing at the same time (late 18^th and early 19^th century) the primacy of image, or graphic representation, in travel chronicles.

The observations made by the members of the Section of Architecture and Sculpture of the French Scientific Mision under G. A. Blouet are accompanied by drawings of excellent technique and high artistic quality. The conclusions of their research and the related graphic material, released in three monumental volumes (1831, 1833, 1838), contributed greatly to the perception of the monuments and constituted a work of reference for all subsequent studies.

Also interesting are the drawing of the mountain profiles as seen from aboard (Ed. D. Clarke, 1814)  and the detailed map of the island, quite rare for the era (M. Zallony, 1809).

The Album of 1984 includes rare and very interesting wood engravings taken from the  pioneering weekly review  “The Illustrated London News” (1842-1885) and the similarly themed magazine “The Graphic” (1869-1885). The plates depict locations, people and events (political, social and military), from 1842 to 1885.

The photographs of Tinos in the work by F.F. Boissonnas, which constituted a landmark in the history of photography (first quarter of the 20^th century), capture scenes from everyday and agricultural life and the striking cycladic landscape.

Finally, 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.

Written by Ioli Vingopoulou