Map of Ancient Istria by Jan Jansson

This map of Istria, created by Jan Janssonius, is a refined example of 17th-century cartography, with east oriented towards the top, a common practice of the era. Derived from Giovanni Magini's 1620 map, published in the first modern atlas dedicated to Italy, it depicts the Istrian peninsula, the Gulf of Trieste, and the surrounding islands, with particular attention to Venetian ports and Lake Cerknica, an intermittent Slovenian lake often absent from contemporary maps.

Jan Janssonius (1588–1664), a Dutch geographer and publisher, was a central figure in the golden age of Dutch cartography. The son of a bookseller, he married the daughter of the renowned cartographer Jodocus Hondius, with whom he shared his publishing business. From 1616, Janssonius began publishing his first maps, and in 1633, he collaborated with his brother-in-law Henricus Hondius on a reprint of the Mercator-Hondius atlas, which later evolved into the famous Atlas Novus and then the Atlas Major, a colossal eleven-volume work.

After Janssonius's death in 1664 in Amsterdam, the business passed to his son-in-law Johannes van Waesbergen. The atlas plates were then sold to Gerard Valck and Pieter Schenk, who reissued them under their own names. Janssonius's maps, including this one of Istria, continue to be appreciated for their precision, elegance, and historical importance, making them coveted pieces in the world of cartographic collecting.

Unique quality material

Print on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 40 x 30 cm
With frame: 43 x 33 cm
Material: work printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges
Frame: Light brown, made of beech wood and handmade wood pulp