Sicilia - H. Goltzius 1618

Engraved map depicting the island of Sicily, issued from Sicilia et Magna Graecia sive Historiae Urbium (...). The composition relates to the Sicilian territory as a whole, structured according to early 17th-century cartographic conventions.

The layout is defined by clarity and synthesis, with a careful delineation of coastlines, inland reliefs, and the distribution of major settlements. The engraved line, clean and analytical, provides an ordered reading of the space, balancing documentary function and formal presentation.

This example represents Flemish editorial production of its time and belongs to the tradition of scientific cartography, constituting a significant testimony to the representation of Sicily in the early modern period.

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Art Historical Note
Hendrick Goltzius stands among the notable figures of late 16th- and early 17th-century engraving and publishing, distinguished by technical quality and wide dissemination of his works.

The work belongs to Sicilia et Magna Graecia sive Historiae Urbium, conceived as a historical and geographical repertory of southern Italian regions and cities. Such examples, often intended for learned audiences, document the renewed interest in the classical and Mediterranean world.

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Technical Sheet
Type: Map
Author: Hendrick Goltzius
Engraver(s): Not specified
Publisher: Gerardi Wolsschatii; sumptibus Iacobi Biæi
Place: Antwerp
Period: 1618
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Decoration: Geographic map with essential features
Dimensions:
Sheet: 21.5 × 32 cm
Plate: 18.5 × 27.5 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: Engraved title

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Condition Report
Sheet in very good overall condition.
Slight text offset visible.
Engraved surface clear and well preserved.
Verso with Latin text.