Spoleto - J. Hondius 1627

Engraved plate depicting a view of Spoleto, issued from Nova et Accurata Italiae Hoderniae Descriptio (...). The composition relates to the Umbrian city, structured according to early 17th-century cartographic and topographical conventions.

The layout is defined by clarity and precision, with a careful delineation of the urban layout, main architectural features, and surrounding hilly landscape. The engraved line, clean and analytical, provides an ordered reading of the city, balancing documentary function and visual rendering.

This example represents Dutch editorial production of its time and belongs to the tradition of descriptive cartography and urban views, constituting a significant testimony to the representation of Italian cities in the early modern period.

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Art Historical Note
Jodocus Hondius stands among the leading figures of late 16th- and early 17th-century cartography, distinguished by scientific rigor, engraving quality, and wide editorial dissemination.

The work belongs to Nova et Accurata Italiae Hoderniae Descriptio, conceived as a geographical and descriptive repertory of modern Italy. Such examples, often with text on the verso, document the cultural and educational role of Dutch cartography in the 17th century.

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Technical Sheet
Type: View
Author: Jodocus Hondius
Engraver(s): Not specified
Publisher: Bonaventura / Elsevir
Place: Leiden
Period: 1627
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Decoration: Urban view with landscape context
Dimensions:
Sheet: 22 × 27 cm
Plate: 18 × 24.5 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: Engraved title

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Condition Report
Sheet in good overall condition.
Scattered foxing.
Small restored hole on the left margin.
Engraved surface clear and well preserved.
Verso with Latin text.