The western sheet of a rare two-sheet Lafreri-style map of Europe

The west sheet of a very rare two-sheet map of Europe, showing as far east as Finland Albania. It is decorated with three winged sea monsters, a group of merpeople and a dedication to the Duke of Mantua. This map appeared in a set of world and continent maps, the only cartographic work by Rughesi, a Tuscan architect working in Rome. Even individually Rughesi's maps are extremely rare: Betz and Burden could find only two examples each of the Africa and America respectively. Vincenzo Gonzaga (1562-1612), Duke of Mantua from 1587, was a patron of the arts with a particular interest in cartography. He employed Giovanni Antonio Magini as tutor to his sons and has Magini's Atlas of Italy dedicated to him. Apparently he was not good at paying bills; when Rughesi did not receive a payment he re-printed the set with Gonzaga's arms and dedication masked.