Nave di Primo Rango

Attractive 17th century view of a First Rate Ship of the Line.

This impressive 17th-century engraving presents a definitive anatomical study of the most complex “engine of empire” of its era: the First-Rate Ship of the Line. Published c. 1690 by the celebrated Venetian Cosmographer Vincenzo Coronelli, the plate delineates a vessel requiring a specialized crew of over 800 to manage its 100+ guns and intricate three-masted rig. The cutaway perspective reveals three gun decks bristling with over 45 cannons per side, while soldiers armed with pikes and halberds are depicted ready to repel boarders – a visceral reminder of the era’s violent maritime combat.

Flying the French ensign at the stern, the vessel represents the pinnacle of the Marine Royale design, evoking the grandeur of flagships like the Royal Louis or the Soleil Royal. The print is further distinguished by a border of maritime insignia from the world’s major naval powers, accompanied by a diagram in the upper right explaining the hatching system used to denote heraldic colors in black-and-white engraving.