Urbis Rome, totius olim orbis dominitricis, situs: cum adhuit extantibus, sacrosancte…

- THE FIRST STATE OF FOUR -

Very rare anonymous perspective map, without date and printing details. It is close a replica of the map by Pirro Ligorio, published by Michele Tramezzino in 1552.

At the top left the totle: Urbis Rome totius olim orbis domitricis, situs: cum adhuc extantibus, sacrosancte vetustatis monumentis PIRRHO LIGORIO NEAP. INVENTOR.

Orientation on the four sides iwith the name of the cardinal points: SEPTENTRIO, MERIDIES, ORIENS, OCCIDENS, the north is on the left.


The map is included in some specimens of the "Speculum Romanae Magnificentiae" by Antonio Lafreri, to which, therefore, is attributed. The dating we suggest is absolutely approximate, in the absence of elements that allow to define it with certainty. If we take Ligorio's work (1552) as terminus post quem, we can also consider it before 1573, presumed year of the publication of the catalog of the Lafreri printing house where the work can be identified with one of the different plans of the city described ("Roma", "Roma moderna" or "Altra descrittione di Roma moderna").

The great historical-editorial interest of this plan is not intrinsic to the work itself, a simple copy of Ligorio's work, but is represented by the successive printing issues of this plate. The second edittion of the map, datable to the mid-seventeenth century, is completely amended and enriched by the toponymy
in French. A long description of the city is also inserted, also in French.

It is known that, at the death of Antonio Lafreri (1577), two thirds of the plates were divided between his nephews Stefano and Claudio Duchetti. The remaining third was divided among several publishers. This plate, therefore, can be finished in Paris, where it was reprinted about a century later. This edition is described by Hülsen (1915), who counts among the "Copies and reprints", as: "engraved in the seventeenth century. I saw a copy of it near Mr. Lang in 1914" (the antiquarian bookshop Lang of Rome). Another copy, which however could be the same one mentioned by Hülsen, is described in the library of the British School of Rome, which belonged to the famous collection of Thomas Ashby (1874-1931), director of the Academy from 1906 to 1925. Hülsen, moreover, catalogues the final state of the work, with the address of the French publisher Francois Jollain.

Magnificent proof, printed on contemporary laid paper without watermark, trimmed with copper and with contemporary margins added, small restorations perfectly executed visible on the reverse side, slight abrasions on the front, otheriwse in good condition.

Literature:
Bifolco - Ronca, Cartografia e Topografia italiana del XVI secolo (2018), pp. 2376-2377, tav. 1223, I/IV; Destombes (1970): n. 100; Frutaz (1962): n. XVI e tav. 25; Hülsen (1915): II, p. 42, n. 11 e p. 43, nn. 13-14; Karrow (1993): n. 51/1.1; Marigliani (2007): n. 36; Marigliani (2016): n. XI.5.