Abraham Ortelius

Italiae Veteris Specimen (Italy)

Parergon, sive Veteris Geographiae Tabulae

Engraving with hand-coloring, 1608/1612

Sheet size: 18 3/4 x 23 3/4 in.

A beautifully detailed historical map of ancient Italy by Abraham Ortelius, one of the most influential cartographers of the sixteenth century. Titled Italiae Veteris Specimen (“A Representation of Ancient Italy”), the map reconstructs the geography of the Italian peninsula as it was understood in classical antiquity, depicting ancient regions, settlements, rivers, and coastal features associated with the Roman world. Carefully engraved place names and geographical details reflect Ortelius’s scholarly approach to cartography, drawing upon classical authors and historical sources to present a visual record of Italy’s ancient landscape. The original hand-coloring enhances the map’s visual appeal, highlighting geographical divisions and lending richness to its finely engraved details.

First published in Ortelius’s celebrated Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, originally issued in 1570 and widely regarded as the first modern atlas in the form of a uniform collection of maps, Italiae Veteris Specimen belongs to the tradition of historical cartography that sought to connect contemporary geographical knowledge with the classical past. Ortelius, a Flemish cartographer and humanist, was renowned for synthesizing information from the leading geographical authorities of his day into a coherent and accessible atlas. His work helped establish the modern atlas as an essential reference for scholars, collectors, and educated readers throughout Europe. The map’s later appearance in editions dated 1608 and 1612 reflects the enduring popularity of Ortelius’s atlas and the continued Renaissance fascination with the history and geography of the ancient world.

An appealing example of early modern historical cartography, this finely engraved map offers a window into the Renaissance understanding of ancient Italy and the lasting influence of classical civilization on European scholarship. Combining geographical precision with historical inquiry, it is both a decorative antique map and a testament to Ortelius’s important contribution to the development of the printed atlas.