In the image, bottom left, on the books: "ANAXIMENES"; "HYGINVS"; "MANLIVS"; "PONTANVS"; bottom centre: "ASTROLOGIA"; bottom right: "COCK excu."; "PTOLEMAVS"; "floris inuentor"; "7"; in the margin: "ASTRORVM VRANIÆ CVRSVS, VARIOSQVE RECVRSVS OCVLIS NOTANS
First of three edition statements. After a lost series of paintings by Frans Floris made in 1555 for the country-house of Antwerp merchant and art-collector Nicolaas Jongelinck. According to Van Mander ('Schilderboek', vol.4, pp. 39-40), the preparatory drawings for the engravings were possibly made by Floris' pupil Simon Jansz. Kies. An incomplete series of deceiptive copies published by Niccolo Nelli exists