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Franco-Spanish War (1635-59)

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

ANONYMOUS

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

1642 or later

Etching and engraving; laid down on paper then mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edges, right and bottom | Scale: 1:13,000 approx. | RCIN 723014

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). Oriented with south-east to top (cardinal points).

The Imperial arms of Philip IV of Spain (reigned 1621-1665) are top left, and those of Francisco de Melo are top right.

An earlier state of this print is bound in at ff.173-174 of a manuscript account entitled 'Relación de la campaña de Flandes en 1642' by Juan Antonio Vincart, Secretary to the Governors of the Spanish Netherlands between 1633 and 1650 (IIR F 489; Vojenský historický ústav Praha; Praha; Česko). The earlier state, which is otherwise identical, is identified by an earlier date 'en 26. d Abril' which occurs in the note (top, left of centre of RCIN 723014) 'Cerca deste lugar … en 3. de Mayo …' and by the presence of Roman numerals from I to XV which are placed against some features on the print.

  • Anonymous (cartographer)

    Subject(s)

    Army-France
    Army-Spain
  • Watermark: Map: a ‘4’ suspending the letters WR. Backing paper: indistinct, cross in tear drop. Mount: none.

    Condition: five fold lines; small hole, centre; brown discolouration from paste used to attach backing paper; pressure marks

  • Scale: 1:13,000 approx. Scale bar: Escala de mil passos ordinarios [61 mm =] 1000.

    29.3 x 40.6 cm (image and sheet)

    cropped (platemark)

    40.2 x 50.9 cm (mount)

  • Printed title:

    PLANTA DE LA BASSEA / SITIADA EN XX. DE AVRIL / POR SV EXCELENCIA / D. FRANCISCO DE MELLO / GOVERNADOR D’ESTOS ESTADOS, / Y RENDIDA EN XIII. DE MAYO DE / M.DC. XLII. [bottom left, in oval decorative cartouche]

    Additional text:

    EXPLICACION DE LAS FORTIFICACIONES / DE LA BASSEA [right, in ornate cartouche, a key, A-I, K-N]

    Inset:

    Parte de la muralla por donde se rindiò la villa [bottom right, in rectangular panel with a key, 1-10 below] Scale: No scale stated. Size: 7.7 x 16.9 cm (neatline).

    ​Annotations:

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

    Other annotations: (Recto) [bottom right, black pencil:] 1642. (Verso) none.

    George III catalogue entry:

    Bassée, La Pianta de la Bassea sitiada en 20 de Avril, por D. Francisco de Mello, y rendida en 13 de Mayo de 1642.

  • 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. 3101

Page revisions

  • 25 May 2024