| Method | Copper engraving with hand colouring |
| Artist | Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg |
| Published | Depingebat Geor. Hoefnagle [Cologne, c.1617] |
| Dimensions | Image 273 x 393 mm, Plate 280 x 400 mm, Sheet 416 x 552 mm |
| Notes |
A view of the Italian city of Pesaro, capital of the Urbino province of the Marche, from Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum. The city is shown from the west, nestled between the Foglia river and San Bartolo hill. The city's della Rovere walls are shown to full effect, though the only feature of the city to have received a label is the spire of the church of San Domenico. To the left of the scene the Adriatic, also labelled as the Venetian Gulf, is bathed in sunlight, while boats approach the mouth of the river. A strapwork cartouche encloses the title in the bottom left corner, near a pair of women in noble dress. The city of Pesaro was founded by the Romans, under the name Pisaurum, in 184 BC, though it is likely that an early Etruscan Picentine town originally occupied the site. Its position on the Via Flaminia gave it strategic importance, both in terms of trade and politics. In the 5th century it fell under the control of the Ostragoths, then in the 6th century to the Byzantines. After possession by the Lombards and Franks, it became part of the Papal States. Between 1572 and 1617 Georg Braun (1541-1622) and Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590) published six volumes of their Civitates Orbis Terrarum, containing over 500 prospects, views, and maps of mostly European cities, envisioned as a companion to Ortelius' atlas Theatrum Orbis Terrarum. Braun was the editor of the series, with Hogenberg as principle engraver. They relied mainly on existing cartography, but also on drawings made by the Antwerp artist Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600), who had travelled through most of Western Europe. After Joris Hoefnagel's death his son Jakob continued the work for the Civitates. Condition: Strong clean impression with full margins. Red fore-edge colouring to edges of sheet, as issued. Central vertical fold as issued. German gothic letterpress on verso. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £375.00 |
| Stock ID | 42099 |