Messina, Sicily.

Braun & Hogenberg. Frans Hogenberg & Simon Novellanus Messina. "Messana. " Cologne Theodori Graminæi. 1572
Copper engraved birds eye viewof Messina. Sicily, from the first volume of Braun & Hogenberg's "Civitas Orbis Terrarum. " Latin text to verso. First state.
Key to principal buildings. Dark impression; a couple of spots to key; crease to centre fold
Keoman vol2; B&H1/49 340 by 480mm (13½ by 19 inches).    €750

Views of Genua and Florence by Braun and Hogenberg.

Braun & Hogenberg. Gennes. Florence. Genua. Ligurium domina..
Florentia. urbs est insignis Hetruria olim Fluentia ... Cologne G. von Kempen 1575
2 black and white, copper engraved views on one plate, of Genua and Florence from the first volume of Braun & Hogenberg's Civitas Orbis Terrarum. French text to verso.
The view of Genua from the sea with numerous ships and gallea to foreground; title to sky and title and description cartouche to lower right corner.
The trading port and city of Genova is presented from an ideal, elevated viewpoint from the south. The layout of the city can be clearly seen as it slopes down to the sea. In the centre stands the Romanesque cathedral of San Lorenzo, built in the 13th century. Higher up the hillside lies the Palazzo Ducale, here still as a medieval complex from the 13th century. The approximately 80-m-high lighthouse (La lanterna) on the left is another symbol of the city. Genoa's economic importance is underlined by the volume of shipping in front of the port; the New World was discovered in 1492 by the Genoa born Columbus. 1407 saw the founding in Genoa of the Banco di San Giorgio, which lent money to various monarchs in the early modern era and thereby earned Genoa an exceptionally important position within the network of Europe's ruling houses.

The engraving shows Florence from the southwest. On the far side of the Arno, the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore with its impressive cupola (1418-1436) by Filippo Brunelleschi soars above the roofs of the densely packed houses. Visible in front of it are the bell tower, built from 1330 to designs by Giotto, and the Baptistery (11th-12th cent.) with its magnificent bronze doors by Andrea Pisano and Lorenzo Ghiberti (1330-1452). Behind it to the right, as a symbol of secular power, is the Palazzo della Signoria (14th cent.), today known as the Palazzo Vecchio, with its 94-m-high tower. Florence was founded as a Roman colony in Caesar's day, when it marked the intersection of two major trade routes. In the 14th and 15th centuries it developed into a city of art and culture, attracting many artists and intellectuals, including Sandro Botticelli, Galileo Gallilei, Leonardo de Vinci and Niccolo Machiavelli. Under the rule of the Medici family, Florence also developed into an important centre of finance and trade. With a population of around 366,000, Florence is today the capital of Tuscany. (Taschen) Dark impression; light toning; scattered spotting to upper blank margin entering view of Genua; printers creases to lower blank margin; light water stain to Florence and a couple of spots to centre fold.
Keoman 2; B&H 14, [plate 45]; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.112. 330 by 480mm (13 by 19 inches).    €1000

Bird's eye View of Rome.

Braun & Hogenberg. Rome. Roma. Cologne G. von Kempen 1575
Black and white, copper engraved bird's eye view of Rome from the first volume of Braun & Hogenberg's Civitas Orbis Terrarum. French text to verso.
2 figures to foreground at centre between 2 blocks with keys to the major sites.

This engraving of Rome shows the city around 1550 in its imposing setting on seven hills, surrounded by the Aurelian Walls, 19 km long and 6 m high, dating from the 3rd century. Inside the walls on the right are the ruins of Ancient Rome with the Coliseum (37), the arch of Constantine (50), the Forum Romanum (71) and the baths of Caracalla (28) on the far right. The city centre is dominated by the best-preserved work of antique architecture, namely the Pantheon (c. AD 120). In 609, under Pope Boniface VI, the round domed structure was consecrated and dedicated to the Virgin and all the Christian martyrs, and from then on became known as Santa Maria Rotunda. Further right is the Capitoline Hill with Santa Maria in Aracoeli (99) as its summit, and to the left Trajan's column (55). On the near side of the Tiber, the Vatican (left) is dominated by Hadrian's mausoleum, the Castel Sant'Angelo, in front of which appears the old St Peter's, having undergone alterations since 1506. Work on the monumental new basilica and the layout of St Peter's square would be completed as late as the 17th century, however. In the left-hand foreground appears the Papal palace (78) and in front the obelisk (43) that comes from the circus of Caligua and Nero, in which Peter was executed.(Taschen) Unrestored original condition, light toning and ocassional light spotting .
Keoman 2; B&H 13, plate 46. 335 by 490mm (13¼ by 19¼ inches).    €1500

The Duchy of Milan.

Covens, Jean & Mortier, Corneille. Le Duche de Milan dans touts son Estendue, divisé en ses Principales Partes, avec les Estates et Frontieres qui L'Environment Le Duche de Milan dans touts son Estendue, divisée en ses Principales Partes, avec les Estates et Frontieres qui l'environment...

Amsterdam. Covens et Mortier c1741
Copper engraved map of the Duchy of Milan from Covens & Mortier's " Nieuwe Atlas, Inhoudennde vier Gedeeltens der Waereld.. " Original full wash colour; verso blank.
The large map shows the full extent of the Duchy of Milan. It appears to be a reworking of de Wit's map of the same area, with a different title.
Decorative title cartouche and scale. Dark impression; bright full wash colour; printed on heavy paper; light toning; light damp stain to upper left corner, entering plate. Upper margin and title shaved, lower margin shaved to plate mark. Paper extended to left and extra fold to fit in atlas.
Koeman I: C&M 535 by 682mm (21 by 26¾ inches).    €450

Tuscany and the Church States in 2 Sheets.

Covens, Jean & Mortier, Corneille. Estat du Grand duc de Toscane & Estates de L'Eglise Estats de L'Eglise et de Toscane.

Amsterdam. Covens et Mortier c1741
Copper engraved map on 2 sheets of the Church States and Tuscany from Covens & Mortier's " Nieuwe Atlas, Inhoudennde vier Gedeeltens der Waereld.. " Original full wash colour; verso blank.
The large map shows printed on 2 sheets shows Central Italy with her islands Capri, Elba &c and part of Corsica.
Large decorative title cartouche to right sheet; scale to left sheet. [ further scale printed to bank margin of right sheet ] with title above. Dark impression; bright full wash colour; printed on heavy paper; light toning; damp stain to upper and lower right corners of both sheets.
Koeman I: C&M 11: (92),88. 556 by 446mm (22 by 17½ inches). each sheet. total map if joined 556x 892mm.    €700

Italy.

Covens, Jean & Mortier, Corneille. Nova Italæ Descriptio, in Regna, Respublicas et Status Divisæ.. Ad usum Serenissimi Burgundiæ Ducis. L'Italie.

Amsterdam. Covens et Mortier c1741
Copper engraved map of Italy from Covens & Mortier's " Nieuwe Atlas, Inhoudennde vier Gedeeltens der Waereld.. " Original full wash colour; verso blank.
The map shows the whole peninsular of Italy with the coast of Dalmatia, the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, with part of the coast of Tunisia and Algeria.
Decorative title cartouche and scale. Dark impression; bright full wash colour; printed on heavy paper; light stain to upper left and right corners of blank margins.
Koeman I: C&M 8:69, [C&M 10] 502 by 601mm (19¾ by 23¾ inches).    €500

Piedmont and Montferrat in 2 Sheets.

Covens, Jean & Mortier, Corneille. Piedmont & Montferrat. Carte du Piemont et du Monferrat Dressée sur plusieurs Cartes, Manuscrites ou Imprimées ... Par Guillaume De l'Isle
[ Partie Meridionale du Piemont et Monferrat. Par Guilliame De l'Isle de l'Academie Royales des Sciences] Amsterdam. Covens et Mortier c1741
Copper engraved map on 2 sheets of Piedmont & Monferrat from Covens & Mortier's " Nieuwe Atlas, Inhoudennde vier Gedeeltens der Waereld.. " Original full wash colour; verso blank.
Decorative title cartouche and strapwork cartouche to Advertisement with scale below to upper sheet; Lower sheet with additional title to upper blank margin; scale to lower left ; Inset plan of environs of Nice to lower right. Dark impression; bright full wash colour; printed on heavy paper; light toning;
Koeman I: C&M 8:70,71. 485 by 635mm (19 by 25 inches). lower sheet: 501x635mm.    €800

Sicily.

Covens, Jean & Mortier, Corneille. Sicily & Malta. Carte du de L'Isle et Royaume de Sicilie. Par Guilliame De l'Isle de l'Academie Rle. des Sciences.
Carte Particuliere de L'Isle de MaLTE ET DES iSLES vOISINNES Amsterdam. Covens et Mortier c1741
Copper engraved map of Sicily from Covens & Mortier's " Nieuwe Atlas, Inhoudennde vier Gedeeltens der Waereld.. " Original full wash colour; verso blank.
The map shows the Island of Sicily with inset map of Malta and Gozo to lower left Dark impression; bright full wash colour; printed on heavy paper; light toning; light damp stain to upper corners just touching printed area; light spot to lower blank margin.
Koeman I: C&M8:77. 485 by 587mm (19 by 23 inches).    €650

Piedmont & Monferrato, Northern Italy.

Magini, Giovanni Antonio (1555-1617). Piedmont. "Piemonte et Monferrato.." Bologna. Sebastiano Bonomi for the author. 1632
Copper engraved map of Piedmont & Monferrato from Magini's "Italia, data in luce da Fabio suo figliuolo." Original old outline colour; verso blank with old ink map number to upper corner.
Decorative title cartouche with dedication to" Caterina Medici Gonzaga Duchessa di Mantua et di Monferrato etc.".
Above the scale in lower right corner is a box indicating that the rest of the area (Piedmont) can be found on the map entitled "Liguria da Ponente". Good impression; some spotting to margins; old repair of paper loss to edge of right margin.
Graesse IV, 336; Nordenskiold 2 137; Shirley BL, T.MAG-1a. 382 by 480mm (15 by 19 inches).    €500

Piedmont, Northern Italy.

Magini, Giovanni Antonio (1555-1617). The State of Piemonte. "Stato del Piemonte." Bologna. Sebastiano Bonomi for the author. 1632
Copper engraved map of Piedmont from Magini's "Italia, data in luce da Fabio suo figliuolo." Some original old outline colour; verso blank with old ink map number to upper corner.
In the upper right corner is a box indicating that the rest of the area (Piedmont) can be found on the map entitled "Monferrato". Good impression; dampstain in upper left quarter of map.
Graesse IV, 336; Nordenskiold 2 137; Shirley BL, T.MAG-1a. 347 by 460mm (13¾ by 18 inches).    €450