Very Rare View of Salzburg

"Argentina",

This superb panoramic view of the city of Strasbourg was created by city architect Daniel Specklin (1536-89). Strasbourg had originally been founded during the Holy Roman Empire as Argentinensis, also known as Argentina and Argentoratum. The view is dominated by the magnificent Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg. A network of canals and walls surrounds the medieval city, which is now known as the Grande Ile. A numbered and lettered key identifies numerous locations in the view. Putti hold aloft the helmet from a suit of armor and a coat of arms. Engraved by Matthaus Greuter.

This rare view was discovered in a composite atlas containing numerous city plans by Braun & Hogenberg. This view was also included in a bound collection of city views owned by Salzburger Archbishop Wolf Dietrich of Raitenau known as the "Wolf Dietrich Klebeband Staedtebilder." Although a few examples of this view are housed in libraries, we know of only one example sold at auction in the last 30 years.

References:

Condition: A

Marginal soiling with professional repairs to a tear that enters 1.5" into image at top near centerfold and a centerfold separation and adjacent tear confined to bottom blank margin. Old manuscript page numbers in top corners, and show-through of old manuscript title on verso.