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 Corbie, 1636
PLAN / AV VRAY DE LA VILLE ET / SIEGE DE CORBIE
published 1637Etching and engraving; printed from three copperplates on two sheets of paper, joined; mounted on paper (mount cropped, Type not known) | Scale: 1:7,200 approx. | RCIN 722101.a
A map and high oblique view of Corbie, besieged from 24 September to 9 November 1636 by the French, commanded by Louis XIII (27 September 1601-14 May 1643) and Gaston d’Orléons (24 April 1608-2 February 1660) and retaken from the Spanish who had captured the fortress the previous August. Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Oriented with north to top.
The plain engraved black border which was present when the map was published has been cropped (see this example at the Bibliothèque nationale de France). The style of the engraving is similar to that of Abraham Bosse (c.1602/4-14 February 1676), who had been apprenticed to Melchior Tavernier I (1564-1641, the uncle of the publisher of this map) from about 1620.
The accompanying letterpress text is at RCIN 722101.b.
A version of this print, on a smaller scale, was published between pages 650 and 651 in volume III of Merian’s Theatrum Europaeum (1639).
Attributed to Abraham Bosse (1604-76) (etcher)
After Sieur Le Rasle (active 1636) (draughtsman)
Melchior Tavernier (1594-1665) (publisher) [top left, following on from title: Designé par le S.r le Rasle Ingenieur de sa Majesté. / A PARIS, / Par M. Tauernier, Graueur et Imprimeur du Roy pour les Taille douces demeurant dans / l’Isle du Palais sur le quay qui regarde la Megisserie à la Sphere Royalle. 1637.
Watermark: Flowerheads and three letters inside a small rectangle
Condition: six fold lines; creased; brown discolouration to both sides. Verso: offsetting from same image; repair to tear, left of centre, made before joining; surface dirt
Scale: 1:7,200 approx. Scale bar: Eschelle de deux cens Thoises [54 mm =].
73.0 x 65.6 cm (image and sheet)
Printed title:
PLAN / AV VRAY DE LA VILLE ET / SIEGE DE CORBIE. [top left, in rectangular panel]
Inset:
[top left, printed from a separate copperplate, a plan of the Batterie de Mortier.] Scale: not stated. Size: 15.6 x 13.0 cm (neatline); (platemark) cropped.
Annotations:
George III heading: Corbie retaken by the French 10 Nov.r 1635 [sic]
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [right, black pencil:] Corbie.
George III catalogue entry:
Corbie Plan de la Ville et Siege de Corbie (reprise par les Francois le 10 de Nov.re 1635 [sic]) par le S.r le Rasle Ing.r chez Tavernier, 1637. 2 feuilles.
Subject(s)
Corbie, Picardie, France (49°54ʹ32ʺN 02°30ʹ26ʺE)
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. 2994
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
