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Caprarola (Latium) and the Farnese Palace by Braun and Hogenberg, published by J. Janssonius. 1657

CAPTION: Caprarola palace and the Farnese gardens.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "The magnificent, splendid and exceedingly beautiful palace of Caprarola lies roughly a comfortable day's journey from Rome, between Viterbo and Monterosa [...]. Cardinal Alexander Farnese had it built by one of the leading architects of our day, Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, high on the top of the mountain, near a town named Caprarola, as somewhere to retreat from the summer heat. [...] Ultimately, the magnificence and splendour of Caprarola palace cannot be described in a single page; one could print an entire book about it."

Today, the magnificent palace of Caprarola, laid out in the shape of a pentagon on Monte Cimini, lies in the Lago di Vico nature reserve. It was commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese - grandson of the notoriously nepotistic Pope Paul III - from the Bolognese architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola in 1559. Caprarola palace, also known as the Villa Farnese, is seen from a cavalier perspective, allowing the viewer a partial glimpse into the circular inner courtyard of the massive pentagonal complex. Inside the courtyard are splendid colonnades, within which columned niches house the busts of Roman emperors. The magnificent gardens can also be admired in the engraving. The massive Villa Farnese is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. The building, which dominates the surrounding countryside, is characterised by its strict proportions and sparing ornamentation. After Farnese's death (1589), the villa passed to the Dukes of Parma and received little use. In the 19th century, the villa served for a while as the residence of the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Italy; today, it is the occasional home of the Italian president. In 1580, Montaigne praised the building as the most beautiful palace in Italy, a compliment that probably inspired Braun and Hogenberg to include it in their city atlas. (Taschen).


Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.

The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, also known as the 'Braun & Hogenberg', is a six-volume town atlas and the most excellent book of town views and plans ever published: 363 engravings, sometimes beautifully coloured. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun, a skilled writer, wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572 and the sixth in 1617. Frans Hogenberg, a talented engraver, created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel made those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were cartographers Daniel Freese and Heinrich Rantzau, who provided valuable geographical information. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used as references. Translations appeared in German and French, making the atlas accessible to a wider audience.

Since its original publication of volume 1 in 1572, the Civitates Orbis Terrarum has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography. The first volume was followed by seven more editions in 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1612. Vol.2, initially released in 1575, saw subsequent editions in 1597 and 1612. The subsequent volumes, each a treasure trove of historical insights, graced the world in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1606. The German translation of the first volume, a testament to its widespread appeal, debuted in 1574, followed by the French edition in 1575.

Several printers were involved: Theodor Graminaeus, Heinrich von Aich, Gottfried von Kempen, Johannis Sinniger, Bertram Buchholtz, and Peter von Brachel, all of whom worked in Cologne.

Georg Braun (1541-1622)

Georg Braun, the author of the text accompanying the plans and views in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice, indicating his commitment to learning and intellectual pursuits. In 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree; in 1562, he received his Magister Artium, further demonstrating his academic achievements. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he continued his studies in theology, gaining a licentiate in theology. His theological background likely influenced the content and tone of the text in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, adding a unique perspective to the work.

Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590)

Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.

By the end of the 1560s, Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named an engraver of numerous maps. In 1568, he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates, published in 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.

Thanks to large-scale projects like the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.


The Janssonius Family

Joannes Janssonius (Arnhem, 1588-1664), son of the Arnhem publisher Jan Janssen, married Elisabeth Hondius, daughter of Jodocus Hondius, in Amsterdam in 1612. After his marriage, he settled down in this town as a bookseller and publisher of cartographic material. In 1618, he established himself in Amsterdam next door to Blaeu’s bookshop. He entered into serious competition with Willem Jansz. Blaeu when copying Blaeu’s Licht der Zeevaert after the expiration of the privilege in 1620. His activities concerned the publication of atlases, books, single maps, and an extensive book trade with branches in Frankfurt, Danzig, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Koningsbergen, Geneva, and Lyon. In 1631, he began publishing atlases together with Henricus Hondius.

In the early 1640s, Henricus Hondius left the atlas publishing business to Janssonius. Competition with Joan Blaeu, Willem’s son and successor, in atlas production, prompted Janssonius to enlarge his Atlas Novus finally into a work of six volumes, into which a sea atlas and an atlas of the Old World were inserted. Other atlases published by Janssonius are Mercator’s Atlas Minor, Hornius’s historical atlas (1652), the townbooks in eight volumes (1657), Cellarius’s Atlas Coelestis and several sea atlases and pilot guides.

After the death of Joannes Janssonius, the shop and publishing firm were continued by the heirs under the direction of Johannes van Waesbergen (c. 1616-1681), son-in-law of Joannes Janssonius. Van Waesbergen added Janssonius's name to his own.

In 1676, Joannes Janssonius’s heirs sold by auction “all the remaining Atlases in Latin, French, High and Low German, as well as the Stedeboecken in Latin, in 8 volumes, bound and unbound, maps, plates belonging to the Atlas and Stedeboecken.” The copperplates from Janssonius’s atlases were afterwards sold to Schenk and Valck.

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Caprarola arx et horti Farnesiani.

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Item Number:  31033  new Authenticity Guarantee

Category:  Antique maps > Europe > Italy - Cities

Caprarola (Latium) and the Farnese Palace by Braun and Hogenberg, published by J. Janssonius.

Title: Caprarola arx et horti Farnesiani.

Date of the first edition: 1596.
Date of this map: 1657.

Copper engraving, printed on paper.
Image size: 380 x 505mm (14.96 x 19.88 inches).
Sheet size: 450 x 560mm (17.72 x 22.05 inches).
Verso: Latin text.
Condition: Original coloured, lower centrefold split reinforced.
Condition Rating: A.

From: Theatrum Celebriorum Urbium Italiae, aliarumque in Insulis Maris Mediterranei. Amsterdam, J. Janssonius [1657]. (Van der Krogt 4, p. 282, 42:15)

CAPTION: Caprarola palace and the Farnese gardens.

COMMENTARY BY BRAUN (on verso): "The magnificent, splendid and exceedingly beautiful palace of Caprarola lies roughly a comfortable day's journey from Rome, between Viterbo and Monterosa [...]. Cardinal Alexander Farnese had it built by one of the leading architects of our day, Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola, high on the top of the mountain, near a town named Caprarola, as somewhere to retreat from the summer heat. [...] Ultimately, the magnificence and splendour of Caprarola palace cannot be described in a single page; one could print an entire book about it."

Today, the magnificent palace of Caprarola, laid out in the shape of a pentagon on Monte Cimini, lies in the Lago di Vico nature reserve. It was commissioned by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese - grandson of the notoriously nepotistic Pope Paul III - from the Bolognese architect Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola in 1559. Caprarola palace, also known as the Villa Farnese, is seen from a cavalier perspective, allowing the viewer a partial glimpse into the circular inner courtyard of the massive pentagonal complex. Inside the courtyard are splendid colonnades, within which columned niches house the busts of Roman emperors. The magnificent gardens can also be admired in the engraving. The massive Villa Farnese is considered one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture. The building, which dominates the surrounding countryside, is characterised by its strict proportions and sparing ornamentation. After Farnese's death (1589), the villa passed to the Dukes of Parma and received little use. In the 19th century, the villa served for a while as the residence of the heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Italy; today, it is the occasional home of the Italian president. In 1580, Montaigne praised the building as the most beautiful palace in Italy, a compliment that probably inspired Braun and Hogenberg to include it in their city atlas. (Taschen).


Braun G. & Hogenberg F. and the Civitates Orbis Terrarum.

The Civitates Orbis Terrarum, also known as the 'Braun & Hogenberg', is a six-volume town atlas and the most excellent book of town views and plans ever published: 363 engravings, sometimes beautifully coloured. It was one of the best-selling works in the last quarter of the 16th century. Georg Braun, a skilled writer, wrote the text accompanying the plans and views on the verso. Many plates were engraved after the original drawings of a professional artist, Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). The first volume was published in Latin in 1572 and the sixth in 1617. Frans Hogenberg, a talented engraver, created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel made those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were cartographers Daniel Freese and Heinrich Rantzau, who provided valuable geographical information. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used as references. Translations appeared in German and French, making the atlas accessible to a wider audience.

Since its original publication of volume 1 in 1572, the Civitates Orbis Terrarum has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography. The first volume was followed by seven more editions in 1575, 1577, 1582, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1612. Vol.2, initially released in 1575, saw subsequent editions in 1597 and 1612. The subsequent volumes, each a treasure trove of historical insights, graced the world in 1581, 1588, 1593, 1599, and 1606. The German translation of the first volume, a testament to its widespread appeal, debuted in 1574, followed by the French edition in 1575.

Several printers were involved: Theodor Graminaeus, Heinrich von Aich, Gottfried von Kempen, Johannis Sinniger, Bertram Buchholtz, and Peter von Brachel, all of whom worked in Cologne.

Georg Braun (1541-1622)

Georg Braun, the author of the text accompanying the plans and views in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, was born in Cologne in 1541. After his studies in Cologne, he entered the Jesuit Order as a novice, indicating his commitment to learning and intellectual pursuits. In 1561, he obtained his bachelor's degree; in 1562, he received his Magister Artium, further demonstrating his academic achievements. Although he left the Jesuit Order, he continued his studies in theology, gaining a licentiate in theology. His theological background likely influenced the content and tone of the text in the Civitates Orbis Terrarum, adding a unique perspective to the work.

Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590)

Frans Hogenberg was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. He was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg.

By the end of the 1560s, Frans Hogenberg was employed upon Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published in 1570; he is named an engraver of numerous maps. In 1568, he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He immediately embarked on his two most important works, the Civitates, published in 1572 and the Geschichtsblätter, which appeared in several series from 1569 until about 1587.

Thanks to large-scale projects like the Geschichtsblätter and the Civitates, Hogenberg's social circumstances improved with each passing year. He died as a wealthy man in Cologne in 1590.


The Janssonius Family

Joannes Janssonius (Arnhem, 1588-1664), son of the Arnhem publisher Jan Janssen, married Elisabeth Hondius, daughter of Jodocus Hondius, in Amsterdam in 1612. After his marriage, he settled down in this town as a bookseller and publisher of cartographic material. In 1618, he established himself in Amsterdam next door to Blaeu’s bookshop. He entered into serious competition with Willem Jansz. Blaeu when copying Blaeu’s Licht der Zeevaert after the expiration of the privilege in 1620. His activities concerned the publication of atlases, books, single maps, and an extensive book trade with branches in Frankfurt, Danzig, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Koningsbergen, Geneva, and Lyon. In 1631, he began publishing atlases together with Henricus Hondius.

In the early 1640s, Henricus Hondius left the atlas publishing business to Janssonius. Competition with Joan Blaeu, Willem’s son and successor, in atlas production, prompted Janssonius to enlarge his Atlas Novus finally into a work of six volumes, into which a sea atlas and an atlas of the Old World were inserted. Other atlases published by Janssonius are Mercator’s Atlas Minor, Hornius’s historical atlas (1652), the townbooks in eight volumes (1657), Cellarius’s Atlas Coelestis and several sea atlases and pilot guides.

After the death of Joannes Janssonius, the shop and publishing firm were continued by the heirs under the direction of Johannes van Waesbergen (c. 1616-1681), son-in-law of Joannes Janssonius. Van Waesbergen added Janssonius's name to his own.

In 1676, Joannes Janssonius’s heirs sold by auction “all the remaining Atlases in Latin, French, High and Low German, as well as the Stedeboecken in Latin, in 8 volumes, bound and unbound, maps, plates belonging to the Atlas and Stedeboecken.” The copperplates from Janssonius’s atlases were afterwards sold to Schenk and Valck.

References: Van der Krogt 4 - 781 State 2; Taschen (Br. Hog.) - p. 421; Fauser - #2327