Perusia - J. Hondius 1627

Engraved view depicting the city of Perugia, issued from “Nova et Accurata Italiae Hoderniae Descriptio (...)”. The composition relates to the urban context of Perugia, structured according to early seventeenth-century Dutch cartographic and topographical conventions.

The layout is defined by clarity and precision, with a careful delineation of the urban profile, principal buildings, fortifications, and surrounding landscape. The engraved line, refined and analytical, provides an ordered and descriptive reading of the scene, balancing documentary function and visual presentation.

This example represents Dutch editorial production of its time and belongs to the tradition of descriptive cartography and city views, constituting a significant testimony to the representation of Italian cities in the seventeenth century.

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Art Historical Note
Jodocus Hondius stands among the leading figures of late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century Dutch cartography, distinguished by engraving quality, geographical rigor, and wide editorial dissemination. The work belongs to a geographical collection devoted to Italy, conceived as a systematic and updated description of its principal cities and territories.

Examples of this type, often accompanied by explanatory text on the verso, document the central role of Dutch publishing in the spread of geographical knowledge across Europe.

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Technical Sheet
Type: View
Author: J. Hondius
Publisher: Bonaventura / Elsevir, Leiden
Place: Leiden
Period: 1627
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Decoration: Editorial layout with title
Dimensions:
Sheet: 21.5 x 27.5 cm
Plate: 18 x 23.5 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: Title “Perusia”; Latin text on verso

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Condition Report
Sheet in excellent overall condition.
A small tear is present on the upper left margin.
Engraved surface clear and well preserved.
Verso with Latin printed text.