Franco-Spanish War (1635-59)
Contemporary maps and prints of the major battles and sieges from 1635 to 1658
View of the siege of Orbetello, 1646 (Orbetello, Tuscany, Italy) 42°26ʹ30ʺN 11°13ʹ17ʺE
1646 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edge, bottom | 26.5 x 36.5 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 723065
A high oblique view of the Spanish-held fortress town of Orbetello, besieged between 12 May and 24 July by the French, commanded by Thomas Francis of Savoy, Prince of Carignano (21 December 1596-22 January 1656), who were eventually obliged to lift the siege after the arrival of a Spanish relief army commanded by Gerolamo Maria Caracciolo, Marqués de Torrecuso, and Rodrigo Ponce de León, 4th Duke of Arcos. Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659). Oriented with west [actually, north-west] to top (compass directions written at the edges of the print).
See also RCINs 723063-4. This shows similar details to RCINs 723063 and 64 but does not illustrate the Spanish ships approaching Port Ercole. The scale of the depiction is slightly larger, allowing the portrayal of more detail inside the town of Orbetello, including the names of some buildings and showing the defences in more detail. A notable addition is a palisade across the inlet connecting the French lines to the east of it.
Pierre Miotte (active 1640-60) (engraver) [bottom left, inside neatline:] Petrus Miotte Burgundus fecit.
Giovanni Battista Dé Rossi (c. 1601-1678) (publisher)
Subject(s)
Army-FranceNavy-FranceWatermark: Print: lamb in circle. Mount: none.
Condition: one fold line; some offsetting on verso
26.5 x 36.5 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
29.0 x 38.4 cm (mount)
Printed title:
ORBETELLO ASSEDIATO [within detail, top of view]
Annotations:
George III heading: Orbitello 1646.
Other annotations: none.
George III catalogue entry:
Orbitello Orbitello assediato nel mese di Maggio 1646: da P. Miotte, apresso G.B. Rossi.
Subject(s)
Orbetello, Tuscany, Italy (42°26ʹ30ʺN 11°13ʹ17ʺE)
Bibliographic reference(s)
G. Della Monaca, 1646 Orbetello L’assedio memorabile storia, personaggi, cartografia, letteratura, Rome 2013, p. 253, plate XXIII
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 3189
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
