Cartografi in movimento alla fine dell’Ancien Régime. Il caso della «Strada di Genova» tra il ducato di Parma e la costa ligure (secolo XVIII)

Cartographers on the Move at the end of the Ancien Régime. The Case of the «Strada di Genova» between the Duchy of Parma and the Ligurian coast (18th century) Given the morphological, political, and social characteristics of the territory, road design in the Apennine area historically represents a significant element for activating technical skills, such as those relating to cartography. In the perspective of the theme proposed in the issue of this scientific journal, projects for the construction of the road that was supposed to connect the Ducato di Parma with the Repubblica di Genova in the second half of the eighteenth century (the so-called «Strada di Genova») highlights the complexity of an exchange flow involving some of the best cartographers and planners operating in this area during the period. Flow – certainly born from commercial and strategic needs, but which fits into a broader relational context that connect the two states – related to the common belonging to the French-Spanish geopolitical area headed by the Bourbon dynasty. Furthermore, owing to the transfer from Genoa to Parma (1765), the presence of the French engineer-cartographer and architect Piere Paul De Cotte (?-1770) – whose professional activity is connected to the rich and cosmopolitan Durazzo family – adds interest to the research.