Rossi — L'Europa c.1677
Rossi — L'Europa c.1677
A large-format 1677 copper-engraved map of Europe by Giacomo Giovanni Rossi, based on cartography by Giacomo Cantelli da Vignola (official cosmographer to the Duke of Parma). The map presents Europe in the moment of Louis XIV's greatest ambitions — just before the Nine Years' War — with detailed political boundaries, decorative cartouches, and the confidence of late-17th-century Italian publishing.
About Giacomo Giovanni Rossi (1627–1691)
Giacomo Giovanni Rossi (also known as Iacomo or Giovanni Giacomo Rossi) was an Italian publisher and engraver who operated the Rossi firm in Rome — one of the most important Italian cartographic publishers of the late 17th century. The firm was founded by his grandfather in 1633 and continued by his descendants into the 18th century.
About the Work
Rossi published the Mercurio Geografico (Rome, 1669 onward), an atlas featuring maps after Giacomo Cantelli da Vignola (1643–1695), official cosmographer to the Duke of Parma. The atlas was one of the most important Italian geographical publications of its era and influenced subsequent French and Dutch cartography. Rossi maps are noted for their engraving quality and their large format.
Scarcity & Market Context
Complete Rossi/Cantelli Mercurio Geografico atlases are rare. Individual maps — especially continental maps of Europe, Asia, and the Americas — appear at specialist dealers in the $400–$1,200 range. Rossi's Europe maps are particularly prized for their large format and decorative cartouches.
Institutional Holdings
Complete copies at the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale (Rome), the John Carter Brown Library, the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and major Italian state libraries.
Dimensions
Sheet approximately 22 × 17 inches
Frame: This piece ships unframed — the sheet or plate only. We can recommend framers in your area or ship to your preferred framer. Professional framing with archival materials typically runs $150–$400 depending on size and finish.
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Important Buyer Notice
These pieces are antique originals, ranging from approximately 100 to over 400 years old. Each piece will show varying degrees of age-appropriate condition: paper toning, foxing, edge wear, fold marks, minor restoration, light staining, and other natural signs of age are common and expected for works of this period. Condition varies from piece to piece.
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