1710s Landscape Prints

"Ypres, Grand Ville Riche & Marchande" is an engraving and etching by Daniel Marot (le Vieux) (1661–1752). It depicts a view of the siege of the city of Ypres and its citadel on the left in the Spanish Netherlands by Louis XIV's troops. This battle took place between March 18 and March 25, 1678, as part of the Franco-Dutch War. Marot illustrated in great detail (best appreciated with magnification) the French attack on the strong pentagonal citadel on the extreme left, which had been built recently in anticipation of a French attack. The trenches built by the French approaching the town are seen on the right. King Louis XIV can be seen in the foreground surveying the battle mounted on his white horse, surrounded by his officers and troops. The print is presented in an attractive ornate black wood frame with a cream-colored double mat with a black inner trim. It is glazed with plexiglas. The frame measures 25.38" x 22.63" x .88". The engraving, frame, mat and glazing are in excellent condition. Artist: Daniel Marot (1661–1752) was also called "Le Vieux". He was the son of the famous architect, Jean Marot. Marot had diverse interests and talents. In addition to his art, he designed garden projects, architectural ornaments, furniture, and even upholstery. Marot as a Huguenot protestant was forced to leave France in 1685 following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. He emigrated to Holland, where he worked for William of Orange (an arch enemy of his former employer Louis XIV). Marot was largely responsible for the interiors of Williams palace at the Loo. In 1694 he went Britain as William had married Queen Mary and he had become King William III of England. He later returned to Holland in about 1698 and died in the Hague in 1752. He left a lasting legacy on the decorative arts in the Netherlands, where his grand version of the Louis XIV style remained popular into the 1730s. Historical Background: In October 1677, Mary Stuart, niece and possible successor of Charles II of England, married Louis XIV's arch enemy William III of Orange...

Bretherton, James (After Rembrandt van Rijn). Christ and the Woman of Samaria Among Ruins. London: c 1775. Etching on light cream laid paper, 4 3/4...

Engraving on cream laid paper, 8 x 5 3/8 inches (203 x 137 mm), trimmed at the platemark. A fine impression with a Coat of Arms watermark. Second state, after the addition of the Frederick de Witt...

Engraving on cream laid paper, 8 x 5 7/8 inches (202 x 149 mm), trimmed at the platemark. Adhered at each corner to a small sheet of archival laid paper. Horizontal edge loss at the ...

Engraving on cream wove paper, 8 x 5 3/8 inches (203 x 137 mm), narrow to thread margins. First state (of 2). A fine impression with archival paper adhered at left top and bottom cor...

This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "A New & Correct Chart of All The Known World Laid down according to Mercator's Projection" by Emanuel Bowen. It was published in 1744 in London in John Harris's "Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca" or "A Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels". This highly detailed and colorful map depicts the world. as it was known in the mid 18th century. A majority of the northern and central portions of Canada and America are left blank due to the purity of knowledge at the time this map was published. The map is embellished with four Compass Roses in the lower left, lower center, lower right and center, along with many rhumb lines. There a is a decorative title cartouche in the upper left. This colorful, attractive, historical and interesting 1744 map presents the entire world on Mercator's projection as it was understood in the middle part of the 18th century, before the landmark explorations of Captain’s Cook, Vancouver, Wilkes and others. It is an example of a nautical chart, a type of map that was designed specifically for use by mariners. The map is centered on the equator and includes both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The continents of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia are depicted, as well as various islands in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. The map is laid out according to the Mercator projection, a type of cylindrical map projection that was developed in the 16th century by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator. This projection has the advantage of preserving angles and shapes, making it useful for navigation. The map presents a paucity of inland detail, particularly for the Americas, but major cities, geographical landmarks, and regions are included. Ocean currents and Tradewinds are identified, as well as the magnetic declination lines or magnetic variance, which refers to the difference between true north and compass north. The continents are color coded, enhancing the beauty of this map. The three compass roses indicate the directions of the cardinal points. The depiction of the western coast of America, the Pacific and Australia are interesting. There was very little exploration of Australia between the navigations of William Damper in 1699 and Tobias Furneaux in 1773. Most of the maps detail relies on the 17th century Dutch expeditions to Australia's western coast, by Abel Tasman and William Janszoon. Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) and New Guinea appear connected to the Australian continent. New Zealand appears as a single landmass. North of New Zealand there is a landmass labelled 'Ter d' St. Esprit' which probably represents the New Hebrides Islands. This map precedes the accurate exploration of the South Pacific and east coast of Australia by Captain James Cook later in the 18th century. The map includes ‘Drakes' Port,' the site where Sir Francis Drake supposedly landed in 1579 during his 1579 circumnavigation of the globe. Here he claimed territory for England, restocked, and repaired his vessels. Drake named the region New Albion. The exact location of Drake's Port is a cartographic mystery. Drake's Harbor is believed to be in the region of San Francisco Bay, Bodega Bay, San Pablo Bay...

This is an original 16th century copperplate originally hand-colored engraved map of View of Seravalle, Italy entitled "Seravallum Celeberrimum Marchiae Tarvisiniae in Agro Foro Juliensi Opp. - Seravalli, quam vides, Spectator, iconem, operi huic nostro suis sumptib. . . ." by Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg, from their famous city atlas "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", published in Augsberg, Germany in 1575. The map depicts a view of Seravalle, now Vittorio Veneto, in San Marino, Italy, north of Venice, in a topographically accurate bird's-eye view from the south. A water-filled moat is seen to the south of the city walls and farmland to the east. Two men are depicted standing on a hill in the lower right in conversation next to grain sacks and a grazing horse, while a younger man behind them to the right herds a mule carrying presumably pigs. A very colorful and ornate title cartouche is in the upper center and coat-of-arms are in the right and left upper corners. Serravalle lies in an idyllic setting in the foothills and surrounded by orchards. St Mary's Cathedral with its tall bell tower is prominent in the center of the town. The marketplace and town hall with a bell tower in the square are depicted. Houses and shops are around the main square. Serravalle's importance as an agricultural centre is emphasized by the figures in the foreground. In 1337 Serravalle was conquered by the Republic of Venice. In 1866 the town was united with neighbouring Ceneda to form the town of Vittorio Veneto. The following is an English translation of an excerpt from the French description of the city on the back of the map: "Serravalle, a market town renowned for cloth, wine and grain, is in such a beautiful situation that the number of its inhabitants, attracted by the loveliness of the place, has grown so much at times that the wall encircling it has had to be enlarged for the third time. The city with the surrounding town once belonged to the Church in Ceneda as an imperial fief. It subsequently became the seat of the Da Camino family (a princely house that at that time was one of the five most noble in all Italy). Now the city is under the sway of the Venetians but is prudently governed by them. For they send only one city councillor with instructions to ensure that justice prevails and to collect duties. In all else, power lies in the hands of the noble families." This is a translation of the Latin in the title cartouche on the front: "The picture of the town of Serravalle, which you see, viewer, has been contributed to our work entirely at his own expense by Minutius, son of Hieronymus Minutius, a noble gentleman and one renowned for the far-reaching competence of his jurisdiction. We saw him sojourning in Cologne, where he was on business for Gregory XIII; while our good wishes accompany him, we should also like to accompany him on his way with this remembrance, even though it might be against his will, so that even those who have not seen him may learn of his excellence. However, those who do not yet know him will also see his excellence if God the Almighthy does not summon erring souls too soon back to the eternal seat of the Blessed." References: Van der Krogt 4, 4728, State 1; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg, p.331; Fauser, #14960 This striking hand-colored city view is printed on laid, chain-linked paper with wide margins. The sheet measures 16" high by 21" wide. There is a central vertical fold as issued and French text on the verso, with Latin on the front. There is some discoloration in the upper and right margins which may represent some watercolor paint from the time of the original hand-coloring of the map. There is a small hole to the right of the upper portion of the vertical fold, which is only visible when held up to light and an area of reinforcement on the verso of the lower vertical fold. The map is otherwise in very good to excellent condition. Braun and Hogenberg's 'The Civitates Orbis Terrarum' was the second atlas of maps ever published and the first atlas of cities and towns of the world. It is one of the most important books published in the 16th century. Most of the maps in the atlas were engraved by Franz Hogenberg and the text, with its descriptions of the history and additional factual information of the cities, was written by a team of writers and edited by Georg Braun. The work contained 546 bird-eye views and map views of cities and towns from all over the world. It gave graphic representation of the main features of the illustrated cities and towns, including the buildings and streets. Although the ordinary buildings are stylized, the principal buildings are reproduced from actual drawings created on location. The principal landmarks and streets can still be recognized today. In addition, the maps often include the heraldic arms of the city, the nature of the surrounding countryside, the important rivers, streams and harbors, even depicting stone bridges, wooden pontoons, flat-bottomed ferries, ships and working boats, wharves and jetties, as well as land-based activities, including horsemen, pedestrians, wagons, coaches, and palanquins. Small vignettes are often included which illustrate the trade, occupations and habits of the local inhabitants, such as agriculture, paper-making and textiles, as well as local forms of punishment, such as gibbets, wheels, floggings etc. Large figures dressed in their local costume are often presented out of proportion in the foreground. The aim of the authors was to give as much information as possible in a pleasing visual form. They succeeded in creating maps that were both informative and decorative works of art. The atlas is a wonderful glimpse of life in medieval Europe. Georg Braun (1541-1622) was German Catholic...

"Veduta del Sepolcro della Famiglia Plauzia per la Strada Che Conduce da Roma a Tivoli vicino a Ponte Lugano" from "Le Antichità Romane" (Roman Antiquities), one of the most famous works by Piranesi. "Antichita" illustrates the tombs along the Appian Way...

A lovely view of Venice from the water. Etching with drypoint on antique cream laid paper with a large figural watermark, signed in pencil, lower right. 14 1/4 x 11 inches (362 x 280...

This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "A New & Accurate Map of Europe Drawn from the Best Authorities Assisted by the Most Improved Modern Charts and Maps." by E...

This is a 16th century original hand-colored copperplate engraved map of View of View of Meissen, Germany entitled "Misena Hermun Duvorum Urbs" by Georg Braun & Franz Hogenberg, from their famous city atlas "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", published in Cologne, Germany in 1575. The map depicts a side view and bird's-eye view, looking across the Elbe River (labelled Albis Fluvius on the map; White River in Latin) from the northeast. In the foreground are three women in conversation on a hill above the city, along with a man and a woman in conversation by a road, all dressed in contemporary costumes of the upper class. A coat-of-arms is present in each upper corner. A great castle sits atop a hill in the background on the left. Meissen grew up around Albrechtsburg castle, built by Emperor Henry I around AD 929, and was granted a municipal charter at the end of the 12th century. From 1471 onwards, the castle complex was reconstructed as the residence of the Saxon electors on the northeast corner of the Domberg (Cathedral Hill). Meissen cathedral is a Gothic hall church begun c. 1270; in 1413 a bolt of lightning destroyed its west towers, which were replaced only in the 20th century. Meissen lies to the northwest of Dresden, Germany in Saxony. Meissen is famous for its Meissen porcelain and the Albrechtsburg castle The following is an English translation of an excerpt from Braun's description of the city:  "This city is surrounded by very many rivers, to the east flows the Elbe, to the south the Triebisch, to the west are the mountains, to the north the Meisse, after which the city is said to be named. The city is well-situated in its surroundings, the navigable rivers, the mountains and the healthy air. Around the city there is a good land to grow grain, fertile vineyards on the hillsides and without doubt the mountains are not without ore, for one mile away, up the Elbe, is Scharfenberg, where silver and lead ore are mined.." 
  References: Van der Krogt 4, 2684; Taschen, Braun and Hogenberg...

Heliogravure on cream laid paper, 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches (80 x118 mm), thread margins. In good condition with a soft vertical crease and minor uniform toning. Printed early 19th centur...