Map of the Duchy of Urbino by Johannes Baptista Vrients

An extraordinary example of Renaissance cartography, this map of the Urbino region is the work of Johannes Baptista Vrients, a celebrated Flemish publisher and cartographer, and first appeared in the 1608 edition of Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, considered the first modern atlas in history.

Centered on the city of Urbino, the historic capital of the Duchy and a cradle of the Renaissance, the map displays a stretch of the Italian Adriatic coast with a northeast orientation towards the top. Rimini, an important Roman and medieval center, is the northernmost coastal city depicted, while Falconara, today known as Falconara Marittima, marks the southern limit of the visible coastline. The numerous inland towns, mountainous reliefs, and connecting routes are delineated with rich detail and artistic refinement.

In the lower right corner, a dedication in Latin to His Serene Excellency Franciscus Maria Feltrius de Ruvere (Francesco Maria II della Rovere), the last Duke of Urbino, stands out, to whom Vrients pays homage with an elegant decorative cartouche. The map is based on the single-sheet map drawn by Giovanni Antonio Magini in 1596, one of the greatest Italian astronomers and geographers of the time.

This map combines scientific rigor and artistic beauty, testifying to the collaboration and cultural exchange between the great protagonists of European cartography in the early seventeenth century. A document of rare historical and symbolic value, it celebrates the political and cultural significance of the Urbino region in the heart of Renaissance Italy.

Unique quality materials

Print on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 40 x 30 cm
With frame: 43 x 33 cm
Material: artwork printed on very high-quality handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges
Frame: Light brown, handmade from beech wood and wood paste