Rare map of Roman Italy with the Augustan regions by Philippe Buache

This rare map of ancient Italy, engraved by Joanne Baptiste Liebaux for Guillaume De L’Isle in 1715, depicts the eleven regions into which Emperor Augustus divided the peninsula around 7 BCE. The map clearly highlights the territories, Roman roads, and main cities of the era, offering a detailed historical view of Italy's administrative organization during the early years of the Empire. The differences between municipia and Roman colonies are implicitly traced through the territorial arrangement, providing a valuable geopolitical overview of the Augustan age.

This specimen bears the later editorial imprint of Philippe Buache, son-in-law and successor of Guillaume De L’Isle, a key figure in 18th-century French cartography. Buache, known for his theoretical approach to geography, became Royal Geographer in 1729 and a member of the Académie des Sciences. The map is extremely rare on the antiquarian market, as only one known copy exists in recent commercial catalogs. It is a cartographic document of great historical and collectible value, combining scientific rigor, historical erudition, and extreme rarity.

Unique quality material

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