Philipp GALLE (Haarlem 1537 - Antwerp 1612) "Pharos" (The Lighthouse of Alexandria) Original graver engraving signed in the plate on the lower right on the "Philipus Galle fecit" square, from a subject by Martin van Heemskerk for the series dedicated to the Seven Wonders of the World and the Flavian Amphitheater, engraved in 1572. Beautiful specimen in the first state, before the numbering which will appear at the bottom right, printed on thin laid paper bearing an undecoded watermark, with good margins beyond the imprint of the plate, slight traces of dirt and minimal other defects at the edges as well as some traces of rust on the engraved field and a handwritten notation on the high edge, but overall in excellent general condition. The Lighthouse of Alexandria in Egypt is considered the longest of the Seven Wonders, it was in fact built between 300 and 280 BC E and resisted until the fourteenth century before succumbing to the shocks of powerful earthquakes. Its position on the island of Pharos allowed sailors to access the port of Alexandria with greater ease, the size and brightness made it visible from almost fifty kilometers away. Bibliography: “The New Hollstein - Philips Galle” Amsterdam 2001 part.II n ° 479. "The New Hollstein - Maarten van Heemskerk" Amsterdam 1993 No. 514. Measurements in mm: 210 x 262