$37,500
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This is the first city book of the Netherlands and one of the finest Dutch books of the Renaissance. This volume with 78 double-page engraved maps and views is Lodovico Guicciardini’s Description de touts les Pays-Bas. Autrement appellez la Germanie Inferieure, ou Basse Allemagne or Descrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi. The work was published in Anversa (Antwerp) by Christofano Plantino in 1582.
This is one of the most important books published in the Low Countries. It was the first detailed description of the principalities and cites of the region. His work is remarkable from the Renaissance for its analytical approach and richly researched sources. He focused on the cities and in particular Antwerp, a major commercial and cultural center. He collected information from classical historic and geographic works, personal merchant testimonies, intellectuals, travelers, government leaders, and archival sources.
The work is bound in full contemporary tan calf, blind tooled central lozenge of the Allegory of Justice. It features an allegorical engraving of the Netherlands (Iustitia res conservantur), engraved title, richly engraved plate with a border of the coat of arms of the 16 Provinces and that of Brabant together with coat of arms of Philip II in center pasted in, engraved plate with allegorical depiction of the Arts and Sciences within architectural border with portrait of Philip II in center, large woodcut coat of arms of Guicciardini, and 78 double-page engraved maps and views. The work is extra illustrated with five plates bound in from another edition.
Ludovico Guicciardini (1521-1589) was an Italian historian and statesmen and member of a noble Florentine family active in trade. He was the nephew of the famous historian Francesco Guicciardini. He was sent to Antwerp in 1541 at the age of 20, in order to represent his family there together with his brother as merchants. He was not successful as a merchant, but he became a well-known writer with four successful books.
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