This is a rare and dramatic view of Tende in the southeastern corner of France along the boundary with Italy. The hillside village is overlooked by the castle of the Lascaris and a mountain monastery. The plan provides amazing detail of the terraced fields and vineyards and the village houses. The title cartouche bears the coat of arms of the Duke of Savoy. Blaeu's Townbook of Savoy and Piedmont, better known as the Theatrum Sabaudiae was initiated in the 1660's by Carlo Emanuele II, Duke of Savoy from 1638 to 1675. However it was not published until after the deaths of both Blaeu and the duke in 1682 by Blaeu's heirs. The plans in the Theatrum were drawn by a group of military architects and engineers, including Giovenale Boetto and Giovanni Tommaso Borgonio, and then etched in Amsterdam by another group of highly skilled artists including Romeyn de Hooghe and Perlingh. This plan does not include any imprints, though the artists are seen preparing their sketches in the lower left corner.

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Condition: A

Crisp impression and lovely wide original margins with some minor toning and soil. Masking tape hinge remnants on verso, from a previous framing, none close to image.