Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648)
Contemporary prints and maps of the battles and sieges of the Eighty Years War
Siege of Breda, 1624
VERO DISEGNO DELLA PIANTA DELLA CITTA DI BREDA, / con tutte le sue Fortificationi Baluardi, Ridotti, Mezzelune, & alri lauori militari, fatti intorno, & dell’ Assedio postogli dal Campo di Sua Maesta / Catholica...
published 1624Etching and engraving; printed on paper; letterpress text is printed on a separate sheet of paper, then pasted to the bottom of the print before being mounted on paper (Mount Type A); gilt edges top, right and bottom | 38.5 x 36.1 cm (image and sheet of whole object) | RCIN 722012
A middle-high oblique view of the early stages of the siege of Breda, defended by Justinus van Nassau (1559-1631), carried on by the Spanish army, commanded by Ambrogio Spinola 1st Marquis of the Balbases (1569-25 September 1630) between 28 August 1624 and 5 June 1625 resulting in a Spanish victory. Eighty Years War (1568-1648). Oriented with east-south-east to top.
The coat of arms of Girolamo Grimaldi-Cavalleroni (1597-1685) are top left.
Orlandi’s view is a quite faithful copy of the original print which was published ‘A Anuers, Chez Abraham Verhoeuen, sur la / Lombaerde Veste, au Soleil d’Or’ in 1624 (Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie, RESERVE FOL-QB-201 (23)).
The BnF example is accompanied by letterpress text in French which appears to be printed on the same sheet of paper as the print and which has been translated into Italian by Orlandi.
Abraham Verhoeven II (1575-1652) (printmaker) (first printmaker)
Giovanni Orlandi (active 1590-1646) (publisher) [bottom right of letterpress text:] Cauata dall’ Originale venuto d’Anuersa fatto per / Abrahā Verhoenen. Et ristampato in Napoli per / Gio. Orlandi alla Pietà l’Anno 1624. / con licenza de’ Superiori.
Watermark: Cross in a tear drop shown upside down, the letters A D below
Condition: the print has several fold and crease lines; print and text with brown discolouration; the ink framing lines have been drawn to fit round the uneven shape of text and print; mount is cut down along left edge; pressure marks from the mounts of items which were kept above and below this print in a different collection are present on the recto and verso
38.5 x 36.1 cm (image and sheet of whole object)
cropped (platemark)
54.9 x 40.3 cm (mount)
22.6 x 35.0 cm (image and sheet of text)
Printed title:
VERO DISEGNO DELLA PIANTA DELLA CITTA DI BREDA, / con tutte le sue Fortificationi Baluardi, Ridotti, Mezzelune, & alri lauori militari, fatti intorno, & dell’ Assedio postogli dal Campo di Sua Maesta / Catholica per l’Eccellentissimo Signor Marchese Spinola, alli 27. di Agosto 1624. [No title on print; the name ‘Breda’ is engraved above the fortified town. Title on accompanying letterpress text.]
Dedication:
[top left, in cartouche with coat of arms of Girolamo Grimaldo:] Al’ Ill.mo Ecc.mo sig.re et Prón Col.mo / Il sig.re Girolamo Grimaldo Précipe de Gerace / Gio: Orlando D.D.D.
Additional text:
[bottom right, in a rectangular panel, a key, 1-6 and A to the principal structures in the city and to one of the forts.] [The letterpress text is printed in four columns and gives a description of the geographical location of Breda, and of the events between 19 July and 14 September 1624. Another key, 1-10 identifies structures in Breda and military works:] Dichiarationi della Città di Bredà, & i suoi lauori / militari, cosi di dentro, come di fuori, con li / nomi, & segni de suoi Baluardi. [The text ends with another key, A-D:] Dichiarationi dell’ Esercito di sua Maestà. [Followed by the imprint.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Breda 1624, 25.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [left, across map and mount, red pencil:] 1/137 [left and bottom left, black pencil:] I/141.
George III catalogue entry:
Breda Pianta della Citta di Breda, con tutte le sue Fortificationi, Baluardi, Ridotti, Mezzelune, et alri Lavori Militari fatti intorno; et dell’ Assedio postogli dal Campo di S.M. Catholica per l’Eccellentissimo Signor Marchese Spinola, alli 27 di Agosto 1624: fatto per Abraham Verhoenen, et ristampato der Gio. Orlandi, 1624. [with a Description]
Subject(s)
Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands (51°35'11"N 04°46'33"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. 2847
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
