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Contemporary maps and prints of the major battles and sieges from 1635 to 1658

Anonymous (mid-17th-century Italian hand)

Siege of Cremona, 1648 c.1648

Pencil, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on paper and then mounted on paper (Mount Type B) | Scale: not stated. 1:2,000 approx. | RCIN 723087

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A map of Cremona, besieged from 21 July to 15 October 1648 by the French, allied with Italy and commanded by Francesco I d’Este, Duke of Modena (6 September 1610-14 October 1658) and Don Luigi de Benavides, Marchese di Caracena, Governor of the State of Milan and General of the Italian army. They abandoned the siege on 15 October. Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659). Oriented with south-west to top.

See RCIN 723084.

This large-scale plan appears to show the state of the siege in August 1648 and the position of the defences around the castle of Cremona, which was situated at the north-western end of the town, together with a small section of the town itself and the fortifications and encampment of the besieging army at that location. Features are shown in great detail and may have been drawn by reference to ground survey conducted by the draughtsman rather than having been copied from another source.

The date of 16 August is mentioned in the key. The map is drawn from the Spanish/Italian point of view and the forces of Modena and the French are referred to as the enemy.

  • Anonymous (mid-17th-century Italian hand) (artist)

    Collection of Cassiano Dal Pozzo (1588-1657) (collector)

  • Watermark: Map: indistinct: letters in circle? Backing paper: six-pointed star in circle, the letter A above and D below. Mount: none.

    Mark, stamped: 9

    Condition: four fold lines; torn and worn along folds; repaired by being laid down on paper before being mounted

  • Scale: not stated. 1:2,000 approx.

    20.3 x 29.1 cm (image and sheet)

    25.1 x 34.8 cm (mount)

  • Printed title:

    None

    Annotations:

    George III heading: Cremona August 1648.

    Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [the backing paper carries a list of names, in ink, in a contemporary hand; not all are readily decipherable and the following transcriptions may not be accurate, some of the text is cropped:] Sigr Carlo [?] del Pozzo; Stefano Barbenti; Gioseppe Signorini; Gioseppe Bunoni [?]; Franc.o Piacentini; Tomaso Banni; Gregorio de Santi [? …]; Pietro Panoni; Gioseppe Conticelli; Giac.o Maria Carolio [?]; Guilio Guili; Elicio Elibellini; Antonio d’amico con […?]; Famiano Franc.o Manini; Carlo Mastrozzi 1/1; Octavio Faletti 1/1; Lorenzo de Santi […?]; Sante Luidi 1/1; Michele Fiorani; Tomaso Conini […?].

    George III catalogue entry:

    Cremona A drawn Plan of the Castle of Cremona with the Attacks of the Duke of Modena and the Marshal du Plessis Praslain in August 1648.

  • From the collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo (1588-22 October 1657); inherited by his brother, Carlo Antonio dal Pozzo (1606-1689); sold by Carlo Antonio’s grandson to Clement XI, 1703; acquired by Cardinal Alessandro Albani by 1714, from whom purchased by George III in 1762.

  • Subject(s)

    Cremona, Lombardy, Italy (45°07ʹ59ʺN 10°01ʹ16ʺE)

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