![ALFANI, Domenico (c. 1483-1553). Vero dissegno del lago di Geneva con i luoghi che l circondano. [Northern Italy:] Giovanni Giacomo [c. 1590].](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/1998/CKS/1998_CKS_06111_0993_000(104522).jpg?w=1)
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ALFANI, Domenico (c. 1483-1553). Vero dissegno del lago di Geneva con i luoghi che l circondano. [Northern Italy:] Giovanni Giacomo [c. 1590].
Engraved bird's-eye view of Lake Geneva on a full royal sheet, 414 x 550m (engraving 367 x 496mm. The map takes a westerly viewpoint including Thonon, Geneva, Nion, Morges, Lausanne, and the surrounding mountains. Title in lower left corner with dedication to the Infanta Catherina of Austria, Grand Duchess of Savoy.
A rare and important early map of Geneva. It is Alfani's only known work and was unknown to Priuli and Verlucca (eds) in Le Grandi Alpi nella Cartografia dei secoli passati 1482-1865, Luglio: 1974, where the discussion focuses on the earliest representations of Mont Blanc. This predates the first map to mention Mont Blanc (J. Le Clerc and H. Picart, Lacus Lemani vicinorumq. locorum nova et accuratissima descriptio, n.p.: 1619) although it does show Mont St. Bernard. Little is known of Domenico Alfani, save that he came from Perugia and signed the present view. Tooley 238, listing the Beans copy only; the British Library map room also has an impression of this map in which the publisher's name is not entirely legible, and which they have tentatively dated to Perugia, 1590. Watermark Woodward 263, citing the map but without ascribing a mapmaker's name.
Engraved bird's-eye view of Lake Geneva on a full royal sheet, 414 x 550m (engraving 367 x 496mm. The map takes a westerly viewpoint including Thonon, Geneva, Nion, Morges, Lausanne, and the surrounding mountains. Title in lower left corner with dedication to the Infanta Catherina of Austria, Grand Duchess of Savoy.
A rare and important early map of Geneva. It is Alfani's only known work and was unknown to Priuli and Verlucca (eds) in Le Grandi Alpi nella Cartografia dei secoli passati 1482-1865, Luglio: 1974, where the discussion focuses on the earliest representations of Mont Blanc. This predates the first map to mention Mont Blanc (J. Le Clerc and H. Picart, Lacus Lemani vicinorumq. locorum nova et accuratissima descriptio, n.p.: 1619) although it does show Mont St. Bernard. Little is known of Domenico Alfani, save that he came from Perugia and signed the present view. Tooley 238, listing the Beans copy only; the British Library map room also has an impression of this map in which the publisher's name is not entirely legible, and which they have tentatively dated to Perugia, 1590. Watermark Woodward 263, citing the map but without ascribing a mapmaker's name.