Balnibarbi & Laputa flying island. Jonathan Swift. Gulliver's Travels 1751 map
£180
SKU: P-6-108667
Laputa & Balnibarbi [Gulliver's Travels]
One of the earliest fantasy maps ever published depicts Balnibarbi and the track of the flying island of Laputa, featured in the third part of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels (1726). These fictional lands are described during Gulliver’s voyage to the islands their neighbouring territories of Luggnagg and Glubbdubdrib. Swift places these islands in the Pacific Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Japan, with Laputa hovering above Balnibarbi. The locations are described both in the text and depicted on a map, though they do not correspond to any real-world geography. Balnibarbi is shown as a large landmass near Japan. Although Japan is a real location, the fictional placement of these lands reflects Swift’s satirical style. Scholars suggest that the unlikely geography, like in other parts of Gulliver’s Travels, parodies unreliable travel narratives and contemporary European exploration. The map, like others in Gulliver’s Travels, is unattributed, but it is speculated that Swift may have drawn inspiration from his friend Herman Moll, a well-known cartographer of the time, whom he references as "my worthy friend" in the book. The maps were only included in the early editions of the book.
Size 17 x 9 cm | 6.5 x 3.5 inches
Date Published: 1751
Type: Antique copperplate fantasy parody map
Author: Swift, Jonathan
Publication: Gulliver's Travels
Condition: Good |
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