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Antique Map / City Plan of Florence
Fine early plan of Florence, engraved by Wenceslaus Hollar.
A the top right is the Medici coat of arms with balls, while on the left, within a cartouche, a legend with 17 entries within the Fortezza da Basso and at the bottom right is the main legend with 228 entries in three columns.
On either side of the plan of Florence are 10 views, including
- the monument of Cosimo I on horseback
- the Duomo with the bell tower
- side access roads to Piazza dell'Annunziat
- seven Florentine street views showing various games and sports
The image is very similar to the prototype; in addition to the presence of the Belvedere Fortress and the absence of the monument to Cosimo I in Piazza S. Marco, small variations can be seen in the drawing of Via S. Gallo, in the area of Borgo Pinti, Via de Serragli and the square before the ducal palace. As in the Bonsignori view, the major religious centers stand out with the annexed squares, S. Maria Novella, S. Lorenzo, S. Marco, the Annunziata, S. Croce, the Ognissanti, and beyond the Carmine and S. Spirito; the axonometric view of the Duomo is enlarged and altered to allow better use; other prominent elements are the ducal seat, Palazzo Pitti, and Palazzo Vecchio. All the important buildings are defined with care and precision, but the changes made in the urban fabric since 1584 are not taken into consideration. The prototype is also taken up in the design of the area outside the walls, to bring back in some cases the same layout of rows of trees and the same differentiation of cultivated fields; however, a certain impoverishment can be noted from a graphic point of view, in particular for the simplification and normalization of tree species.
Hollar's view was reissued in Amsterdam in the 1700s by De Wit and the same image is also found in the Historia fiorentina di Giovanni Michele Bruto e nel Thesaurus antiquitatum et historiarum Italiae di Giovanni Giorgio Grevio, published in Leiden in 1723.
In 1663 another view is published derived from the prototype of Bonsignori through the interpretation of the Hollar, contained in the Theatrum civitatum by Jan Blaeu; in 1704 it was re-edited by Pierre Mortier, inside the Nouveau Theater d'Italie, in Amsterdam, entitled La ville de Florence, The title and cartouche are placed in different parts of the map.
While the De Wit edition of the map appears occasionally on the market, this edition, without text below the side panels, is apparently quite scarce.
Wenceslaus Hollar, born on July 23, 1607, in Prague, was a prolific and accomplished Bohemian graphic artist of the 17th century.
Known to German speakers as Wenzel Hollar and to Czech speakers as Václav Hollar, he is celebrated for his masterful engravings and etchings. The turmoil of the Thirty Years' War, particularly the Sack of Prague, devastated Hollar's family, leading him to abandon his initial path towards a legal career and instead pursue the arts. His earliest surviving works date back to 1625 and 1626, showcasing the influence of Albrecht Dürer. In 1627, Hollar apprenticed under the esteemed engraver Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt, marking the beginning of his illustrious career.
During the early 1630s, Hollar resided in Strasbourg, Mainz, and Koblenz, capturing the essence of the Middle Rhine Valley through his depictions of towns, castles, and landscapes. In 1633, he moved to Cologne, where his talent began to attract significant attention. It was here, in 1636, that he caught the eye of Thomas Howard, the 21st Earl of Arundel, a renowned nobleman and art collector. Hollar joined Arundel on diplomatic missions to Vienna and Prague, and in 1637, he accompanied the Earl to England.
Upon settling in England, Hollar became part of Arundel's household, though he did not work exclusively for the Earl. He continued to create independently and for various authors and publishers. Following Arundel's death in 1646, Hollar commemorated him with a print designed by Cornelius Schut. Hollar's remarkable "View of Greenwich," published by Peter Stent, exemplified his early work in England and set a precedent for his meticulous and expansive cityscapes.
The English Civil War significantly impacted Hollar's career, although he remained productive. He withstood the siege of Basing House alongside royalist artists like Inigo Jones and William Faithorne. Despite the adversity, Hollar's output was prolific during this period, with numerous plates dated 1643 and 1644. Following his capture and subsequent escape during the siege of Basing House in 1645, Hollar relocated to Antwerp, where he reconnected with Arundel and produced some of his most acclaimed works, including cityscapes, seascapes, and intricate studies of nature.
In 1652, Hollar returned to London, continuing his work with notable publishers and illustrating various significant texts, including Ogilby's Virgil and Homer, Stapylton's Juvenal, and Dugdale's Warwickshire, St Paul's, and Monasticon.
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, Hollar produced his famous "Views of London," capturing the city's devastation and subsequent rebuilding. In 1668, King Charles II commissioned him to document Tangier's town and forts. His return voyage included a notable naval engagement, which Hollar later etched for Ogilby's Africa. Hollar continued to produce well-regarded works until his death on March 25, 1677, in London, where he was buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster.
Hollar's legacy endures through an extensive body of work, including some 400 drawings and 3000 etchings. His plates, numbering around 2740, encompass a vast array of subjects, from topographical views and portraits to intricate depictions of nature and architecture.
Collections of Hollar's work are held in prestigious institutions such as the British Museum, Windsor Castle, the National Gallery in Prague, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. His contributions to graphic art are celebrated in catalogues by George Vertue, Gustav Parthey, and Richard Pennington, with a comprehensive catalogue published in the New Hollstein German series. Hollar's work remains accessible through digital collections, notably at the University of Toronto and the Folger Shakespeare Library.
The Wenceslaus Hollar Secondary School of Art in Prague honors his name, ensuring that his artistic legacy continues to inspire future generations.
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