This rare and beautifully engraved copper plate image is an aerial view of the entire Bodleian Library at Oxford University, one of the oldest libraries in Europe. The title cartouche features a handsome coat-of-arms with two allegorical figures holding scrolls. At right are two additional coats-of-arms. This engraving is from the first edition, without the page number at lower right. Finely engraved by David Loggan.

This engraving was one of 40 from Loggan’s rare work which is considered the earliest and best collection of Oxford views, although almost contemporary to the work of Guillelimus Williams Kip (Britannia Illustrata, 1707) and the Oxford Almanacks, published by the Oxford University Press beginning in 1674. Loggan worked on the plates for many years with historical accounts identifying several exhibitions from 1665 onward, but the collection was not published together until 1675.

Logan (1634-1692) was born in Poland and emigrated to Oxford to avoid the plague, where he worked on a publication detailing all of the Oxford colleges. Named Oxonia Ilustrata, it was published in 1675. He followed this with a similar work on the colleges of Cambridge, Cantabrigida Illustrata, published in 1690.

References:

Condition: A

Short marginal tear at left margin, otherwise fine example with wide margins and a superb impression that shows many layout lines in the text. Some tape on verso from prior framing.