Taranto - J. Hondius 1627

Engraved view depicting the city of Taranto, issued from *Nova et Accurata Italiae Hoderniae Descriptio (…) *. The composition relates to Taranto and follows the conventions of early 17th-century cartographic and topographical representation.

The layout is defined by clarity and precision, with a detailed rendering of the coastal profile, harbour, fortifications, and urban fabric. The engraved line, precise and analytical, provides an ordered reading of the view, balancing documentary function and visual presentation.

This example represents Dutch editorial production of its time and belongs to the tradition of decorative cartography and city views, constituting a significant iconographic record of the city 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 engraving quality and wide editorial dissemination.

The work belongs to a collection conceived as an updated description of Italy, intended for a learned European audience. Examples of this type, often with text on the verso, document the success of Dutch cartography and its role in disseminating urban imagery.

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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: Panoramic view with urban and coastal elements
Dimensions:
Sheet: 22 × 27.5 cm
Plate: 18 × 24.5 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: Engraved title; Latin text on verso

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Condition Report
Sheet in excellent overall condition.
No significant defects reported.
Engraved surface clear and well preserved.
Verso with Latin text.