Pianta della cittá di Milano

Rare first edition of the map of Milan, Italy, copperplate engraving, printed and sold by Giuseppe Pezze in Milan in 1827.
A period hand-coloured example, uncut.
The particularity of the map is that it presents the so-called Theresian house numbers, commissioned by Emperor Joseph II in 1786. This system, not very intuitive, began with number 1 at the Royal Palace (Palazzo Reale) and continued in a spiral towards the periphery, to end with 4988 back towards the centre, in the Contrada del Pesce, just behind the Canobbiana theatre, beside the Royal Palace. We offer the first edition of this map (1827); it was subsequently updated in 1844, 1847, 1856, 1860 and 1862.
Other features of the plan include the subdivision by colours of the 24 parishes and the four police districts, as well as a series of general information relating to commercial activities and the population, in addition to the list of “principal establishments” with their respective house numbers.
On the left and right sides a series of information is detailed, and the cartouche reads: “On this map the Jurisdictions of the twenty-four Parishes that make up the City are distinguished with various inks, the Parish Churches being particularly indicated, the Subsidiary Churches with the Subsidiary Oratories and the public Churches of Establishments with Oratories open to the Public. The Parish Churches are coloured in deep red. The Subsidiary Churches with Subsidiary Oratories in light watercolour ink. The public Churches… are coloured with the same ink that distinguishes the respective Parish Jurisdictions, except that this ink is applied there with somewhat greater intensity, and the same practice was observed for the Public Establishments. The perimeters of the 6 Police Districts (Mandamenti di Questura) into which the City is divided are indicated, and these Districts are likewise distinguished with Roman numerals I.II.III.IV.V.VI. In all the Streets and Alleys the respective name is written, just as the corresponding house numbers are indicated. All the public Establishments are differentiated and indicated, as are the public Weighing Stations, and to make the Map more useful, various important Statistical reports have also been illustrated.”