Italy, Campania, Lago Averno, Lago Agnano; Braun&Hogenberg; Georg Hoefnagel - Antrum Sibyllaew Cumanae ...- 1581 - 1581-1600

Two views from the East and West on Lake Agnano and the vanished city of Cumae. From a French edition of Braun & Hogenberg 'Civitates Orbis Terrarum', Cologne 1581. The engravings are by Georg Hoefnagel. Top: the entrance to the cave of the Cumensian Sybille and the temple of Apollo on Lake Averno. In the foreground are Ortelius and Hoefnagel depicted in conversation. Under the Grotta del Cane ('of the dog') on the volcanic lake of Agnano. Pictured is the vast volcanic area west of Naples, the Campi Flegei. The Solfatara crater with its toxic fumes coming out of the ground was thought to be the mythological home of the Roman god Vulcan. The forging figures in the foreground with a donkey's head and the head of Medusa and the horseshoes around the two cartouches also refer to that. In the middle are the cartographer Abraham Ortelius and artist Georg Hoefnagel depicted. The latter is the creator of the image, his name ('Georgius') is on the large nail in the foreground. In excellent condition, full page (38 x 49. 5 cm) with wide margins, on sturdy paper, centrefold as issued, hand-coloured (later) , verso description 'Antrim Sibyllae Cumanae / Lacus Anianus / Charoneae Scrobes' in Latin, and number '57'.