Bidspirit auction | Gallipolis. Colónia, 1598.

Gallipolis. Colónia, 1598. - [GALLIPOLI]. Gallipolis / La fidelissima Città di Gallipoli. Georg BRAUN; Frans HOGENBERG (eds.). [Cologne, Georg Braun & Frans Hogenberg, 1598]. Engraving; 425 × 535 mm (sheet). View of the strongly fortified city of Gallipoli, in Apulia, built on a rocky islet and linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway and drawbridge. The densely built urban fabric is encircled by powerful curtain walls and bastions, dominating the harbour and the gulf; on the sea, numerous ships and galleys, as well as marine creatures, underline the maritime and military character of the place. At lower left, cartouche with descriptive text in Italian; above it, oval medallion with a cockerel (canting arms of the city); at centre, compass rose; at top, cartouche with arms and motto. Verso printed with Latin text under the heading GALLIPOLIS , paged “67”, forming part of volume V of the Civitates orbis terrarum . The view was engraved, according to tradition, by Natale Bonifacio after a drawing by Giambattista Crispi, and was later incorporated by Braun and Hogenberg into the monumental city atlas Civitates orbis terrarum (1572–1617), the most influential collection of urban plans and views of the late 16th century.