Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648)
Contemporary prints and maps of the battles and sieges of the Eighty Years War
Antwerp, 1605
ANTVERPIA
published 1605Engraving and etching; printed from four copperplates on four sheets of paper, joined; mounted on paper (Mount Type not discernible) | 68.8 x 95.1 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 721126
A medium to high oblique view of the city of Antwerp during the failed attack by Maurice of Nassau (14 November 1567-23 April 1625) on 17 May 1605. The Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648). Oriented with north to top.
A very detailed and beautifully engraved view/map showing the buildings and fortifications of Antwerp. In the foreground is the citadel, built between 1567 and 1571 on the orders of the Duke of Alva, then Governor of the Spanish Netherlands. The surrounding countryside extends to Stabroeck (Stabroek 51°19ʹ55ʺN 04°22ʹ17ʺE), Santvliet (Zandvliet 51°21ʹ33ʺN 04°18ʹ36ʺE) and Mercxem (Merksem 51°14ʹ46ʺN 04°26ʹ57ʺE).
The Dutch fleet is shown sailing up the Scheldt from Saftingen gat (now the marshes known as ‘Verdronken Land van Saaftingen 51°20ʹ27ʺN 04°09ʹ40ʺE). Spinola’s Flemish army (identified by the flags with the saltire) fire on the fleet from the banks of the river. A pontoon bridge, built in three days by one Abraham Melyn, spans the Scheldt between Antwerp and the opposite bank of the river.
Across the top of the view are engraved, left to right, what may be the arms of Brabant, except that the lion is facing right rather than left; the Royal coat of arms of Spain (1580-1668), surrounded by the Order of the Golden Fleece, the ribbons of which are held by a putto on each side, and surmounted by a crown, appears top centre; the arms of Antwerp, held by a putto, are engraved to the right.
According to the Rijksmuseum example of this view, it is a later state of a print made in 1569 by Pieter van Heyden and Hans Liefrink.
Rijksmuseum RP-P-AO-17-36A-1; FMH 1221; has examples of the four plates, uncut, and with platemarks.
Creator(s)
Lambert van Noort (c. 1520-71) (draughtsman)
Pieter van der Heyden (c. 1530 - c. 1572) (printmaker) [bottom right, to the right of the base of the stone plinth, the initial ‘P’.]
Johannes Baptista Vrints (1555 - 1612) (publisher) [bottom right, engraved on the plinth of a statue of Mercury:] Lambertus a Noort / pic tor, ingeniosiβ / effigiabat / Johannes Bapt. Vrints / suis impensis excu= / debat. Ano. Domini / M.DC.V.
Joachim de Buschere (active 1569-1605) (signatory) [left, in field above the River Scheldt (Scaldis flu):] Cum Gratia et Priuilegio / Sign. Buschere
Watermark: A hearth with the letter 'H' within
Condition: five fold lines; small pieces missing from left edge. Verso: surface dirt along folds; old paper repairs to top and right edges; remains of two mounts, A or B; no gilt edges; the four sheets appear to have been joined using the same adhesive which was used to apply the mount
68.8 x 95.1 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
ANTVERPIA [top centre, next to two winged putti holding up a coat of the arms of Philip II]
Printed title:
EL SITIO DE LA VILLA DE ANVERES, PROVADO Y INTENTADO POR EL CONDE MAVRITIO DE NASSAV, Y LOS HOLLANDEZES / REBELDES DE SVS SER.MAS ALTEZAS, A 17. DE MAIO EN EL ÃNO 1605. NO SIN GRAN DÃNO DE SV GENTE, Y NAVIOS. [top, left of centre]
Printed title:
BELEG DER STADT VAN ANTWERPEN, GHEPROEFT ENDE GHEATTENTEERT DOOR GRAEF MAVRIS VAN NASSAVWEN, ENDE DIE REBELLEN VAN / HARE DOORLVCHTIGHE HOOCHEDEN, DEN 17. MAY INT IAER 1605. NIET SONDER GROOT VERLIES DER GEVSCHE SOLDATEN ENDE SCHEPEN. [top, left of centre]
Printed title:
OBSIDIO VRBIS ANTVERPIANÆ, A MAVRITIO COMITE NASSAVIO, ET BATAVIS REBELLIBVS / XVII. MAII M.DC.V. TENTATA, NON SINE MAGNA CLADE SVORVM MILITVM ET NAVIVM. [top, left of centre]
Printed title:
ASSIEGEMENT DE LA VILLE D’ANVERS, ATTENTÈ PAR LE CONTE MAVRICE DE NASSAV ET LES REBELS DE LEVRS / SER.MES ALTEZES, LE 17. DE MAY, L’AN 1605. SANS EFFECT, ET AVECQ PERTE DE BEAVCOVP DE GENS ET NAVIRES. [top, left of centre]
Dedication:
[bottom left, engraved on the plinth of a statue of a naked man, facing right, holding a horn of plenty over his left shoulder:] CLARISS: PRVDE= / NTISS: QVE SE= / NATVI ANTVE= / RPIENSI IOHAN. / BABTISTA VRINTS / DEVOT: DEDICA.
Additional text:
[bottom left, in a rectangular panel, a key, A-E, to street names:] Les noms des Bouleuerts & rāpars [centre, below view of city, two keys, 1-24, to the places in the city; in Latin and Dutch.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Antwerp 17 May 1605.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, red pencil:] 1/109 [and, black pencil:] I/113.
George III catalogue entry:
Antwerp Assiegement de la Ville d’Anvers attenté par le Conte Maurice de Nassau et les Rebels de leurs Ser.mes Altezes, le 17 de May 1605: par Lambert a Noort, chez I.B. Vrints, 1605. 4 feuilles.
Subject(s)
Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium (51°13'11"N 04°25'12"E)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2800
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
