Lodovico Guicciardini (1521–1589) was an Italian writer, merchant, and historian from Florence who lived primarily in Antwerp from the early 1540s. He is best known for his influential book Descrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi, altrimenti detti Germania inferiore (Description of the Low Countries), first published in 1567. This work provided a detailed account of the history, arts, economy, and cities of the Low Countries (now Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), enriched with city maps and views engraved by leading artists of the time.
Guicciardini’s descriptions combined cultural, political, and geographical narratives, making it one of the earliest comprehensive guides to the region. His book was translated into several languages and reprinted over 60 times, significantly shaping European knowledge of the Low Countries in the 16th and 17th centuries. Guicciardini also criticized the effects of the Spanish War on the prosperous region and gave special attention to Antwerp, where he lived.
