Italy - Abruzzo; Blaeu - Abruzzo Citra et Ultra - 1643

Technical sheet

Title: Abruzzo Citra, et Ultra.
Author: Joan Blaeu (1596–1673), within the cartographic production of the Blaeu family.
Designer: not specified; cartographic framework derived from the tradition of Giovanni Antonio Magini.
Publisher: Blaeu cartographic workshop.
Place: Amsterdam.
Era: 1643.
Technique: copper-engraved intaglio on copper, with hand watercolor coloring of the borders, coats of arms and ornamental elements.
Support: laid paper.
Dimensions: sheet 58 × 50 cm; engraving 38 × 49.5 cm.
Composition: single plate with central editorial fold, derived from Le Théâtre du Monde ou Nouvel Atlas, French edition.
Territories depicted: Abruzzo Citeriore and Abruzzo Ulteriore, belonging to the Kingdom of Naples; they include present-day Abruzzo and portions of northeastern Lazio, including Amatrice and Cittaducale. Also shown are adjacent areas of the current Marche, Molise and northern Puglia, along with fragments of the Sabina and the Terra di Lavoro.
Back: typographic text in French titled Abruzze, arranged in two columns, with an ornate initial; page 95 and signature “Dddd”.

Description

Sixteenth- to seventeenth-century map of Abruzzo Citeriore and Ulteriore, the two historic provinces of the Kingdom of Naples separated by the course of the Pescara River. The depiction extends from the central Apennines to the Adriatic coast, detailing with rich toponymy cities, towns, castles, rivers and the various settlements of the territory.
Among the recognizable places are L’Aquila, Teramo, Atri, Penne, Chieti, Lanciano, Sulmona and numerous smaller centers. A particular point of interest is the Fucino Lake, indicated as the “Lago di Celano” and accompanied by the Latin designation, testimony to the geographic arrangement prior to the eighteenth- or nineteenth-century drainage. The mountain ranges are shown with a dense succession of perspective elevations, while the coloring highlights the territorial borders.
The broad marine sector contains the inscription “Mare Adriatico” and two sailing vessels. In the upper right corner develops a rich figurative cartouche, topped by two crowned coats of arms, with a mountain and an eagle, referring to the Abruzzo provinces. On the sides appear figures with armament on poles, a horse, a dog and a female figure with a basket of fruit. At the lower left a rectangular architectural cartouche encloses the mile scale. The graduated frame and the cardinal-point indications complete the cartographic apparatus.

Historical-artistic note

Joan Blaeu was one of the leading cartographic publishers of seventeenth-century Amsterdam. Building on the activity started by his father Willem Janszoon, he developed an atlas production for an international clientele, where geographical accuracy, typographic elegance and rich ornamentation were integrated into prestigious works.
The map fits within the tradition of regional Italian representations derived from Giovanni Antonio Magini’s work, reinterpreted by Dutch publishers through a refined engraving language and elaborate decorative apparatus. The distinction between Abruzzo Citra and Ultra documents the administrative organization of the territory during the Spanish viceroyalty.

Condition Report

The exemplar is overall in good conservation, with a sharp impression and well-preserved color. Central editorial fold, with slight browning along the axis and minor irregularities of the paper at the edges. On the verso there is a narrow paper strip corresponding to the binding in the atlas. Wide margins, affected by scattered foxing and small brown stains, more evident along the lower margin and in the corners. Minor waviness and signs of handling. verso with typographic text in French and modest oxidation of the paper.