Italy - Bressanone

Splendid, monumental, and highly sought-after original bird’s-eye view on copper engraved in the mid-17th century, depicting the historic episcopal city of Bressanone (Brixen) in South Tyrol. The print offers an aerial panorama of extraordinary precision of the medieval and Renaissance urban layout, lying at the strategic confluence of the Isarco (Eisack) River and the Rienza (Rienz) River. The composition is embellished at the top with three refined heraldic emblems tied to the city’s history and the prince-bishopric. In the lower-left corner, an elegant ribbon cartouche contains a rich numeric legend in German (from 1 to 25) that meticulously identifies all the main historic, religious, and civil monuments of the area, including the Cathedral (Domkirche), the Episcopal Palace (Fürstl. Palatium), the ancient gates, the convents, and the historic noble residences (such as the Wolkenstein Palace). The work was masterfully carved by the famous Swiss-German master Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593 - 1650). This particular sheet constitutes one of the most important, detailed, and highly collected historical print iconographies of the city of Bressanone and is drawn from the monumental geographical-descriptive work "Topographia Provinciarum Austriacarum: Austriae, Styriae, Carinthiae, Carniolae, Tyrolis etc.,” published in Frankfurt am Main starting in 1649 in collaboration with Martin Zeiller. The execution technique used is copper engraving by burin and etching on contemporary wove paper, printed in black and white. Regarding its state of preservation, the sheet presents in excellent condition, characterized by a sharp, fresh, and strongly contrasted inking, wide healthy margins, and the central editorial fold perfectly preserved. A piece of great historical, geographical, and collecting value, strongly sought after by enthusiasts of cartography and vedutismo of historic Tyrol and Trentino-Alto Adige. Dimensions 20 x 33 cm Will be shipped by courier

Estimate:£1.69

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