Italy - Vicenza in Veneto, in northeastern Italy.; Henricus Hondius - Territorium Vicentinum - 1621-1650

Old copper-engraved map of the Vicenza territory (Venetia, Italy) hand-enhanced by Hondius, published in 1633 in the Mercator-Hondius atlas.

In it one sees the territory of Vicenza, whose city is depicted in plan view with its ramparts. The relief is drawn in small shaded hills, and the network of rivers and lakes is detailed. Many villages are indicated by small circles. The main towns, such as Bassano, Marostica, Thiene, Arzignano and Este, are represented in perspective. The neighboring territories (Tirolo, Trivigiano, Padovano, Veronese) are named in large, calligraphic letters with flourishes.

The title cartouche, at the bottom left, is adorned with garlands of fruit and bears the address of Henricus Hondius. A second cartouche, at the top right, contains two scales, in miles of Italy and in miles of Germany. An antique coloring emphasizes the territory’s boundaries.

- Dimensions: sheet: 56 x 47.5 cm; map area: 46.9 x 35.3 cm
- Condition: Good overall for a map of this period. There is a vertical central crease, light staining, and brown damp stains along the upper margin. See photos for details.

Atlas Mercator-Hondius
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The atlas called “Mercator-Hondius” continues the work of Gerard Mercator, whose copper plates were purchased by Jodocus Hondius in 1604. This French edition of 1633 is signed by his son Henricus Hondius and his son-in-law Joannes Janssonius, who augmented it with new maps.

Henricus Hondius
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Henricus Hondius (1597-1651), engraver, cartographer and publisher in Amsterdam, was the son of Jodocus Hondius the Elder. The latter had acquired in 1604 the copper plates of Gerard Mercator’s atlas and completed it. Henricus continued the family enterprise and published augmented editions of the atlas, partly with his brother-in-law Johannes Janssonius. These editions are issued under the name “Mercator-Hondius.”