[Map of London].

Earliest surviving map of London. An excellent example, in contemporary hand-colour of the 'best known and most important of the surviving early map-views of London' (Howgego).

This the second issue with 'Westmester' changed to 'Westmuster', and showing the newly established Royal Exchange, built in 1566. The map was first published in 1572 by Braun and Hogenberg as part of their Civitates Orbis Terrarum, a six-volume atlas containing more than 500 city views, although the design was evidently based on information gathered some years before: St Paul's for instance is still shown with its spire (destroyed in a lightning strike in 1561), and York Place, the former home of Henry VIII's favourite Charles Brandon, is given its previous name 'Suffolke P.' Its thought Hogenberg visited London in c.1568, certainly his brother Remigius, a noted map and portrait engraver in his own right, was active in the city from about 1570 until his death in c.1588.

Howgego records just one earlier map, which survives as the original copper plate (in two sections, the North in the collection of the London Museum, the South plate in private ownership).

First edition, second issue; engraved map (34 x 49.5 cm); contemporary hand colouring, Latin text in engraved cartouches, annotated text in English, slightly browned; framed and glazed (48 x 64 cm).

Howgego 2(2); cf.BMC G2.3.