FLORIMI, Matteo. - Lot 13

FLORIMI, Matteo. [COLLECTION OF 17 PLATES OF VIEWS] SIENNE, ca. 1600 Folio-sized collection of 17 engraved plates, formerly numbered in brown ink in the upper right-hand corner (gaps). Fragmentary binding in period parchment with flap, of which only the parchment of the lower cover remains, large circular hole at bottom of lower cover affecting 4 plates. Some plates detached, some with large tears and wetness, margins and edges frayed, last plate incomplete. Beautifully printed. Handwritten bookplate on verso of view of Palermo "Ex Libris B.M. de S [an] cto Sulpitio". Rare illustrated bound set of 17 cavalier perspective views published in Siena by Matteo Florimi. The collection includes 10 plates illustrating Italian cities: Palermo, Messina, Bologna, La Nobiliss.a Citta di Piacenza, Sena Vetus Civitas Virginis, La Famosa Citta D'Ancona, Pisa, Perusia Augusta, Fiorenza, Pavia; the other illustrated plates are: Algeri (Algiers),Valletta Citta Nova di Malta (Valletta), Moscovia (Moscow), Marsilia (Marseille), Sevilla (Seville), Cairus, quae olim Babylon ; Aegypti Maxima Urbs (Cairo), La Cuccagna. Descrittione del Gran Paese de Cuccagna dove que piu Dorme piu Guadagna (the land of Cocagne). These captioned city plans or cavalier views from the late 16th century offer a detailed view of towns, thanks to their accompanying legend, and give a complete overview of the urban landscape, including important buildings, streets and geographical indications. Matteo Florimi or Florimj, Florini, Florino (Polistena, c. 1540 - Siena, 1613). Publisher and dealer of books and prints of Calabrian origin, active in Siena, where he opened a workshop in the Banchi in 1581. Florimi produced prints of numerous cities and territories around the world, which were never designed for him, but were borrowed from pre-existing engravings or maps published by other printers. In the second half of the 16th century, he demonstrated his forward-looking vision by devoting himself to producing the most accurate bird's-eye views of cities possible. Florimi copied maps by Antonio Lafreri, Claude Duchet and Abraham Ortelius. As for his cartographic activity, in 1600, Matteo Florimi called the Flemish engraver Arnoldo degli Arnoldi to work in his studio, with the promise of higher remuneration than that granted by Giovanni Antonio Magini, with whom the artist was collaborating. Florimi's offer angered Magini, who, without naming him, called him an "envious forger" for having stolen such a talented cartographer. The collaboration between Florimi and Arnoldi lasted only two years (1600-1602), but was fruitful: together they published the Stato di Siena, the Choronografia Tusciae, the Nuova descrittione della Lombardia, Europa, America and the Descrittione Universale della Terra. A full description of all the maps is available online at lucienparis.com