View of the siege of Breda, 1624 (Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands) 51°35'11"N  04°46'33"E

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.

Subject(s)

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]

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