Italy - Marche Ancona Piceno; Giovanni Antonio Magini - Marca d'Ancona olim Picenum - 1601-1620

Italy - Marche (Marca d'Ancona formerly Picenum); Giovanni Antonio Magini / Fabio Magini - Map with frame - circa 1620.

Description

Giovanni Antonio Magini (1555-1617) / Fabio Magini
Marca d'Ancona formerly Picenum (Marche) - 17th century, circa 1620 - Copperplate engraving, uncolored

Important ancient map of the Marche, created for the Italia atlas by Giovanni Antonio Magini, a Bologna-born mathematician, astronomer and cartographer, published posthumously in Bologna by his son Fabio in 1620. It is considered the first printed atlas entirely devoted to Italy and one of the fundamental works of Italian cartography of the early Seicento.

Cartouches and inscriptions

• In the upper right: large cartouche with the inscribed title "MARCA D'ANCONA olim PICENUM", supported by sea putti and winged figures.
• In the lower left: dedication cartouche "All'Ill.mo et Rev.mo Sig. et Pron Col.mo Il Sig. Card.le Montalto", followed by the indication "Fabio di Gio. Ant.° Magini Pad.no math.co dello studio di Bologna".
• Graphic scale ("Scala di Miglia quindici"), geographic graduations along the margins and indication of the cardinal points (Septentrio, Meridies, Oriens, Occidens).

Geographic representation
The map shows the Marca d'Ancona from Pesaro to Ascoli Piceno, up to the Abruzzo border. Hundreds of towns, villages and castles are depicted, as well as rivers and the Apennine mountain chain in a perspectival hilly view. Neighboring territories are visible (Duchy of Urbino, Umbria, Abruzzo, Part of the Church) and the Gulf of Venice (Adriatic), with large calligraphic lettering in flourishes and the sea etched with waves.

Dating
Early 17th century - circa 1620. The atlas reused the plates in later editions and retained the date 1620. In the absence of the original volume, the map is not assigned a specific print run nor declared a first edition.

Authenticity
It is an original copper-engraved plate from the period, not a modern reproduction. This is indicated by the engraved ink relief, the plate mark visible on the verso, the old paper with patina and stains consistent with the age and the print on two joined sheets, with a central seam strip. The verso is free of text. The numerous photographs, including close-ups of the cartouches and the reverse, are an integral part of the description.

Technical sheet
Author: Giovanni Antonio Magini (1555-1617)
Publisher: Fabio Magini
Title: Marca d'Ancona olim Picenum
Technique: copper-engraved plate
Place: Bologna
Era: first half of the 17th century, circa 1620
Dimensions of the print alone: about 46 x 36.5 cm
Color: monochrome
Provenance: private collection

Condition and framing (please read carefully)
The map has the natural patina of time: yellowing, foxing and stains, halos (more evident on the verso), slight waviness and the original central fold. At the margins there is edge wear and a small tear with a loss at the lower right corner, outside the etched area (visible in the photographs).

The work is supplied complete with the wooden frame with gold finish and the glass currently present, both visible in the listing images. The frame is of a later period than the map (around the 1950s-1960s), not contemporaneous, and measures 57 x 50 cm. The gilding is worn, especially on the lower side, with small chips at the corners and stains on the glass. It would benefit from reconditioning or conservative restoration. It is supplied together with the map, but its condition does not reflect the state of the engraving.

Shipping
The work will be shipped with particular care: the map, frame and especially the glass will be protected with ample material (bubble wrap, polystyrene, stiff cardboard). The frame dimensions (57 x 50 cm) should be considered for packaging. We do not ship outside Europe.

Important note
For comparison please consult the copy of the map preserved in the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, as documented in the attached comparison images. The photographs of the cartouches and details are an integral part of the description and allow direct assessment of the specimen's characteristics and condition.