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Franco-Spanish War (1635-59)

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

PIETER VERBIEST II (C. 1605-1693)

View of La Bassée, 1642 (La Bassée, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France) 50°32ʹ03ʺN 02°48ʹ22ʺE

1642 or later

Etching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edges top and right | Scale: not stated. 1:2,000 approx. | RCIN 723015

A combination high oblique view/map of La Bassée, besieged on 20 April 1642 by the Spanish army commanded by Francisco de Melo de Portugal y Castro, Marquis de Tor de Laguna, Comte d'Assumar (1597-18 December 1651), Governor of the Spanish Netherlands 1641-1644, resulting in the capitulation of the town on 13 May 1642. Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659). Orientation not indicated.

  • Pieter Verbiest II (c. 1605-1693) (publisher) [bottom right, on the foot of a stone plinth:] Imprime à Anvers Chez Pierre Verbist.

    Subject(s)

    Army-France
    Army-Spain
  • Watermark: Map: coat of arms: a castle with two lions holding a shield within a crowned shield. Mount: none.

    Condition: four fold lines; creased; some foxing; pressure marks

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

    23.1 x 31.4 cm (image and sheet)

    cropped (platemark)

    50.3 x 40.1 cm (mount)

  • Printed title:

    PLAN DE LA BASSEE. / Attaque par les Armes de S.M. Catholique / sous la Conduite de son Excellence / DON FRANCISCO DE MELLO, le 21 Auriel et gaigner le 13. Mey. 1642. [top left, within the walls of the fortress]

    Additional text:

    Declaration des Litrae. [bottom left, in rectangular cartouche, a key, A-I, L-Q]

    Inset:

    [top right, in rectangular cartouche representing an unrolled wall map, a small-scale map of the area around La Bassée.] Scale: 1:700,000 approx. Scale bar: [19 mm =] 3 Lieu. Size: 7.2x 7.5 cm (image). 

    Annotations:

    George III heading: La Bassée 20 April – 13 May 1642.

    Other annotations: (Recto) [top left, black pencil, erased:] Bassée; [top right, black pencil:] 1642. (Verso) none.

    George III catalogue entry:

    Bassée, La Plan de la Bassée attaquée par les Armes de S.M. Catholique sous la conduite de Don Francisco de Mello, le 21 Avril et gagnée le 13 May 1642: Chez P. Verbist.

  • Subject(s)

    La Bassée (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France) 50°32ʹ03ʺN 02°48ʹ22ʺE

  • 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. 3102

Page revisions

  • 25 May 2024