Beschreibung:

FALDA, Giovanni Battista (1648-1678?). Recentis Romae ichnographia et hypsographia. . Rome: Giacomo Giovanni Rossi [1667]. Bird's-eye plan of Rome, engraved by the artist himself and Jean Lhulier on two engraved copperplates, printed on two Royal sheets joined, overall 718 x 905mm (engraving 682 x 884mm). Title set in a cartouche along the upper margin, dedication set in a cartouche surrounded by allegorical figures and surmounted by the arms of pope Alexander VII (Fabio Chigi), key in cartouche decorated with the arms of Rome and its Rioni, keys to Rome's most important buildings, to Rome's churches, and to buildings put up by Alexander VII, seven inset views of Roman churches, compass rose. (Old vertical and horizontal folds, loss to lower left hand corner not affecting platemark, some small marginal tears). FIRST EDITION OF GIOVANNI BATTISTA FALDA'S FIRST WORK. This richly decorated and detailed plan of Rome has been dated by Frutaz to 1667, as it includes the obelisk in the piazza S. Maria sopra Minerva. The works for the obelisk began in April 1666 and finished in February 1667. This map met with great success and precedes a larger-scale map that Falda edited in 1676. Covens-Mortier issued a later copy of this plan without the engraver's and publisher's names. Aregoni and Bertarelli 139, but listing this incorrectly as a second version of a different map produced at the time and dating it to 1660; Frutaz CLXVIa, in the Biblioteca Nationale, Rome.