Die Geheimnisse der Meteorologie erhellen

Antonino Salibas ‚Nuova Figura‘ als Wetterkartierung

Abstract

This paper analyzes the meteorological know­ledge in Antonino Saliba’s ‘Nuova Figura’, a universal map dedicated to the Viceroy of Sicily in 1582. Saliba, a polymath from Malta, encapsulated his knowledge in a single sheet, reconstructing the entirety of creation through paradigmatic explanations of meteorology. The paper argues that Saliba’s map employs the trinity of umbra, figura, and veritas as a guiding principle for revealing divine wisdom. This study aims to scrutinize the forms and functions of knowledge presentation in the ‘Nuova Figura’ through textual and visual analysis combined with approaches from medieval cartography and diagrammatic research. Saliba’s explanatory model is examined to evaluate traditional, established, and inno­vative weather knowledge, both explicitly and implicitly referenced. The study ultimately explores Saliba’s use of the umbra-figura-veritas scheme as a key element in unveiling meteorological secrets