Adriano Balbi and the Naming of the World. The relationship between geography and cartography in the construction of a scientific geographical lexicon (first half of the 19th century)

In the first half of the 19th century, Adriano Balbi (1782-1848) was a leading geographer in Italy and Europe. His extensive and constantly updated work kept pace with new discoveries of unexplored territories. Balbi's research influenced other geographers and cartographers, including Dufour and Marzolla. Evangelista Azzi (1793-1848), a cartographer from the Duchy of Parma, produced educational maps, including a notable world map in two hemispheres (1838), a large wall map that encapsulated the geographical, historical, and ethnographic knowledge of the time. Azzi relied on contemporary works, including Balbi's, with whom he maintained a close correspondence. Balbi emphasized the importance of cartographic representation and supported Azzi by sharing numerous insights, including the naming of seas and oceans. This presentation highlights the synthesis between historical geography and cartography, demonstrating how Balbi's ideas were transposed from text to map, contributing to the cultural and scientific discourse among European geographers.