Map of the ancient Genoese Riviera di Levante by Giovanni Antonio Magini

This map of the Riviera di Levante, created by Giovanni Antonio Magini, depicts the eastern Ligurian coast from Genoa to the Gulf of La Spezia with great detail, including the Cinque Terre and numerous coastal and inland towns. Printed in 1620 from the first plate of his atlas, it shows an accurate representation of the Apennine reliefs, villages, and fortifications, with legible place names and two calligraphic panels decorating the Ligurian Sea.

Magini, a mathematician and astronomer from Bologna, began creating the first atlas entirely dedicated to Italy in 1594. For years he collected local information and received support from various Italian courts, including the Duke of Mantua. The work took decades, and only after his death was it completed by his son Fabio, who oversaw the publication of the work in 1620, titled Italia.

Magini's atlas, consisting of sixty copper-engraved plates, marked a turning point in Italian cartography, surpassing previous models and offering a systematic and detailed representation of the peninsula. It served as a reference work for subsequent cartographers like Hondius and Blaeu, and maintained its cartographic authority for much of the 17th century.

Material of unique quality

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