Ducato di Modena Regio et Carpi - G. Magini 1620

📜 Description
Engraved map depicting the Duchy of Modena, Reggio, and Carpi, published in Bologna in 1620 within Giovanni Antonio Magini’s celebrated geographical work L’Italia. The map illustrates the Emilian territories of Northern Italy according to a compositional structure consistent with early 17th-century Italian scientific and political cartography. The graphic layout is distinguished by clarity and precision, with a detailed organization of the territory highlighting rivers, settlements, political borders, mountain ranges, and principal communication routes. The refined engraved line provides an orderly and analytical reading of the landscape, balancing documentary function with formal elegance. Particularly notable is the elaborate ornamental cartouche decorating the title area, characteristic of Italian Baroque cartographic production of the period. A representative example of early modern Italian cartography, the plate belongs to the tradition of scientific and descriptive mapping and stands as a significant testimony to the territorial representation of the Po Valley duchies during the 17th century.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Giovanni Antonio Magini ranks among the leading figures of Italian cartography between the late 16th and early 17th centuries, distinguished by the scientific rigor and systematic organization of his geographical works. The map belongs to L’Italia, conceived as one of the earliest coherent and updated cartographic representations of the Italian peninsula. Works of this kind, intended for a cultivated European audience, testify to the central role of Italian cartography in the development of modern geographical knowledge. The Bolognese editorial production associated with Magini contributed significantly to the dissemination of regional and political cartography during the early Baroque age.

🧾 Technical Details
Type: Engraved map
Author: G. Magini
Engraver(s): —
Publisher: S. Bonomi
Place: Bologna
Date: 1620
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Decoration: Cartographic composition with topographical and political elements
Dimensions:
Sheet: 40.5 × 51 cm
Engraved area: 37 × 42 cm
Notes: From L’Italia

🔍 Condition Report
Sheet in excellent overall condition. Small upper margin present. Engraved surface well impressed and clearly legible. Blank verso.