This uncommon bird's-eye view of Venice features terrific detail for an engraving of its size. The waterways are choked with gondolas and other vessels, and there is surprisingly rich texture in the view's depiction of the architecture. The engraving is further decorated by a fancy title cartouche, a portrait, and a compass rose. Beneath the view is an illustration of a Venetian senator. The plate appeared in Alphonsus Lasor a Varea's Universus Terrarum Orbis in 1713. Lasor a Varea, whose real name was Raffaello Savonarola, published his two-volume scriptural and historical dictionary with nearly 500 maps that were taken from old plates by Valegio, Porcacchi, Rosaccio-Franco, and Magini, many of which were more than a century old, and often reworked. This plate differs from, and appears to be less common than, Porcacchi or Valegio's views of Venice. On a sheet of Latin text measuring 9.1 x 13.5".

References: Phillips (Atlases) #3475 Vol. II-641; Shirley (BL Atlases) T.LAS-1a #471.

Condition: A

On watermarked paper with a bit of marginal foxing.