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Porcacchi, Tomaso: : Inghilterra

Copper engraving, 11 x 15 cms, engraved by Girolamo Porro, set in descriptive Italian text with woodcut headpiece and historiated initial, later hand-colour. From L’Isole piu famose del Mondo, one of the most beautifully engraved of the Italian Isolaria or Island books.

Shirley notes the curious selection of placenames (eg. London is omitted)., Shirley, British Isles #97

PORCACCHI, Tomaso : Inghilterra

105 x 140 mm., on sheet with Italian text, in good condition complete with accompanying pages of text.

A finely engraved map of the British Isles by Girolamo Porro which first appeared in Tomaso Porcacchi's 'L'Isole Piu Famose del Mondo' first published in Venice 1572. This example is from one of the following expanded editions. As might be expected for an Italian map the cartography draws more upon George Lily's exceedingly important map of 1546, rather than the more up to date Gerard Mercator wall map of 1564. Ireland though appears to derive from a third common source. In reducing the larger source map although Porro is recognised for his fine engraving here he accidentally omits London! Shirley British Isles 97; Shirley T.Por 1a no. 16.

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