Antique Map-NIJMEGEN-NOVIOMAGUM-PLAN-NETHERLANDS-Hogenberg-Guicciardini-1581

Medium: Engraving/etching on hand laid (verge) paper.

Sheet size: 35.5 x 28 cm (13.98 x 11.02 inch). Image size: 31.7 x 23.3 cm. (12.48 x 9.17 inch).

Condition: good, given age. Original fold as issued. Some foxing/browning. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.

NIJMEGEN-NOVIOMAGUM-PLAN-NETHERLANDS | BINDER-NIJMEGEN

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Author: Lodovico Guicciardini (1521-1589): Italian merchant from aristocratic descent. He was born in Florence, a son of Jacopo Guicciardini. His uncle was the famous author Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540) who wrote ‘La historia di Italia’. The Guicciardini family established a presence in Antwerp and in 1541 Lodovico arrived to work with his uncle. At the same time they functioned as informents for the Medici’s back home. He stayed until his death. At one point he was accused with his brother Giovan Battista of killing Gaspare Ducci, who they held resposible for their bancruptcy in 1543. Lodovico apparently started writing in 1552 and in 1556 he published his first work ‘Comentarii della …’, about European history. In 1567 he got the ‘Descrittione…’ published. He wrote a few more works. In 1569 he landed in jail because he critisized Alva’s policies. In 1582 he landed in jail again because he apparently knew Jean Jaureguy, who tried to kill William of Orange, but he was released soon. Although he had been prosperous at times he ended a poor man.

Biography engraver: Made by ‘Frans Hogenberg’ after ‘various sources’. Frans / Franz Hogenberg (1535-1590) was a German / Flemish cartographer from Brabant. He drew maps for Dutch, German and English publishers. He was probably trained by his father-in-law, Hendrik Terbruggen.

Biography artist: This attractive print originates from an early unnumbered edition of ‘Discrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi.’, by L. Guicciardini, published by Plantijn. This work was published in various editions from 1581-1648. This enlarged ed. succeeded the 1567 ed.