DA BERGAMO, GIACOMO FILIPO FORESTI: VIEW OF DUBROVNIK

Inventory number 118

Original title: Ragusa

Publishing year: 1553

Place of publishing and publisher: Venezia

Format: 5,5 x 8 cm

Technique: Wood-cut

The view of Dubrovnik was issued in "Supplementarum Supplementi" published in Venice in 1553. Beside Camocio's and Rosaccio's views, this is one of the rare representations of Dubrovnik before the earthquake of 1667 that was a terrible catastrophe. The town is surrounded by massive walls and nine fortresses that defended it form both sea and mainland sides. Within the walls the most prominent are the church tower and the Franciscan monastery. The town port was also protected by defense-walls. In front of a prospect of Dubrovnik is shown, in a schematic way, the island of Lokrum with two ships anchored in its vicinity, while town topped by the Mount of Srđ. Obvious focusing of the engraver on defense potentials of Dubronvik, reflects an atmosphere of tension created by the Venetian-Turkish conflicts inland from the town, and the context of the general war danger in which the 16th-century Dubrovnik managed to develop.

DA BERGAMO, FORESTI JACOBO

DA BERGAMO, Giacomo Filipo Foresti (1434-1520) an Austin monk, writer of chronicles and bibliographer, who took part in the printing of not only religious texts but also some of the oldest maps. He is believed to have authored a Dubrovnik veduta, published in Supplementum Supplementi in Venice 1553, a very rare depicton of Dubrovnik. Father Da Bergamo depicted the City, much like Camocio and Rasaccio in their maps, in the state before the Great Earthquake of 1667. He used the conspicuous fortifications around Dubrovnik to mark the Ottoman danger in the surrounding area and the war years devastations depicted in the veduta.