DECORATIVE MAP OF BELGIUM, CITY OF BRUSSELS, BRUXELLES, EUROPE, by Lodovico Guicciardini (1521-1589) was an Italian writer from Florence who lived primarily in Antwerp from 1542 or earlier. This map was printed in 1588, by Christophe Plantin in Antwerp, Italian edition. PLEASE NOTE: the buyer will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). Original engraving, beautiful colours, very good condition, taken directly from the original volumes, with original margins, no particular cuts or defects to report, normal small imperfections due to time, laid paper with chain lines and watermark as per photo. To complete the documentation, the photo of the title of the work is also published with the name of the artists who created the prints. This map is from the book “Descrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi" (Description of all the Low Countries), and the most famed description of the whole Low Countries. The engravings were made by the following artists who worked for the Plantin studio at that time: Pieter van der Borcht the Elder (1530-1608); Abraham de Bruyn (1539-1587); Chrispijn van den Broeck (1523-1591); Antonij van Leest (1545-1592). TITLE/DESCRIPTION: Bruxella fontium copia coeli amoemtate et aedificiorum splendore nobilis (Brussels is renowned for its abundance of fountains, the beauty of its sky, and the splendor of its buildings). Fine example of Lodovico Guicciardini's map and with decorative cartouches and printed in Antwerp, 1588, by Christophe Plantin (1520-1589). Sheet size: height 350 x width 425 mm (13.8 by 16.7 inches). Laid paper with chain lines and watermark and centre fold as published, original intact and wide margins, on the back remains of the original binding. The map is in very good condition, beautiful hand coloring (later), images and text intact, normal small imperfections due to time. AUTHOR/CARTOGRAPHER: Lodovico Guicciardini (1521-1589) was an Italian writer and merchant from Florence who lived primarily in Antwerp from 1542 or earlier. He was the nephew of historian and diplomat Francesco Guicciardini. His best-known work, the Descrittione di Lodovico Guicciardini patritio fiorentino di tutti i Paesi Bassi altrimenti detti Germania inferiore (Description of the Low Countries), was an influential account of the history and the arts of the Low Countries, accompanied by city maps by various leading engravers. The work is a major source of information on the artists of the period. He died at 68 and is buried in the Antwerp Cathedral. REFERENCES: Voet 1280; cf. Adams G-1542; Henk Deys ea, Guicciardini Illustratus. De kaarten en prenten in Lodovico Guicciardini’s "Beschrijving van de Nederlanden". Universiteit Utrecht/Hes & De Graaf Publishers, 2001; H. de la Fontaine Verwey, The history of Guicciardini's description of the Low Countries, in: Quaerendo XII (1982), pp. 22-51. SHIPPING: via UPS, DHL, National Postal Services, protected, INSURED and fully tracked package. Estimated time for Europe 3-5 working days. Shipping within one working day, you can combine shipping if you purchases several items from us, saving money and time.