Coffin traces the unfolding of Ligorio’s life from his early years in Naples to his work in Rome, where he served several popes and pored over ancient ruins, through his residency in Ferrara as court antiquarian. In addition to illuminating Ligorio’s relationship to his patrons, Coffin sheds light on Ligorio’s famed map of ancient Rome, a masterpiece that bears witness to Ligorio’s cartographic skills and his lifelong fascination with the eternal city.