"Die Stadt Prevesa und die Vestung S. Maura", Merian, Matthaus

This striking engraving shows a stretch of the Epirus coastline in Greece. It covers from the city of Prevesa to the fortress of Santa Maura on the island of Lefkada. In 1684, Ottoman-held Santa Maura was besieged by Venetians under the command of Francesco Morosini in the opening battle of the Morean or Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War (1684-99). The fortifications at Santa Maura are well depicted, and Prevesa appears in miniature plan form. There is exquisite detail of the region's topography. The title appears in a banner cartouche at top right, and the distance scale is enclosed in a decorative garland cartouche at bottom left. A compass rose orients the north to the right. This engraving appeared in Merian's Topographia Italie (1688) as well as the twelfth part of his Theatri Europaei (1691).

References: cf. Shirley (BL Atlases) G.MERI-12a #13.

Condition: A

A dark impression with printer's ink residue, a printer's crease running alongside the centerfold at top, and a small rust spot at bottom.