Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars
Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars
Etching and engraving; printed on paper | Scale: 1:9,000 approx. | RCIN 724077
A map of Namur, besieged by the Allied army, commanded by William III of England (1650-1702) from 2 July to 1 September 1695, resulting in the capitulation of the French garrison, commanded by Louis François, duc de Boufflers (1644-1711). Nine Years War (1688-97). Oriented with north to top.
In September 1746, the year in which this map was published, the Allied army during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48) passively allowed the French to take Namur without ‘striking a blow’, a very different event to the hotly contested siege of 1695, portrayed here. This map appears to be a reduction of the four-sheet map first published by Nicolaas Visscher, some of whose copperplates were aquired by Covens and Mortier after 1720.
The winged putto, top left, carries a shield with the coat of arms of Namur.
F. de Bakker (active 1735-65) (draughtsman and engraver) [bottom centre, below edge of border:] F. de Bakker del. et sculp. 1746.
Covens & Mortier : Amsterdam (Johannes Covens (1697-1774) and Cornelis Mortier (1699-1783)) (publisher) [bottom right, inside neatline:] A AMSTERDAM / Chez COVENS et MORTIER.
Watermark: None visible
Condition: one fold line. Verso: bottom centre, water-stained patch from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label and ghosting from the label [detail illegible]
Scale: 1:9,000 approx. Scale bar: Echelle de 200. Verges Rhinlandiques [81 mm =].
45.6 x 55.6 cm (neatline)
48.1 x 56.2 cm (image)
49.4 x 59.2 cm (platemark)
56.0 x 66.3 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
PLAN DU SIÉGE DE LA VILLE ET DU CHÂTEAU DE NAMUR. [top, above border]
Additional text:
[top right, in a trompe l'oeil scroll, a key, A-I, K-Z, to the bastions, gates, etc., of the town, and a second key, a-i, k-t, to various parts of the fortifications:] Explication des Lettres de la / FORTIFICATION de la VILLE / et de sa dependance [top right, in the same cartouche, a key, 1-40, to the buildings within and outside the town:] Explication des Chiffres / des BASTIMENTS dedans et / dehors la VILLE. [Top right, the numbering following on, a key, 41-77, to the Chateau and works outside:] Explication des Chiffres / du CHÂTEAU et / de ses dehors. [Bottom left, a continuation of the numbering in another key, 78-96, to the siege works:] EXPLICATION / des Chiffres pour les APPROCHES.
Annotations:
George III heading: Namur 1695.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, black pencil:] 18 [and, black pencil crossed out in black pencil:] 35; [right centre, red pencil:] 53.; [bottom, left of centre, black pencil, in Schultz's hand?, black pencil:] Namur 1695 50.
George III catalogue entry:
Namur Plan du Siege de la Ville et du Chateau de Namur en 1695, gravé par F. de Bakker, 1746: chez Covens et Mortier.
From the collection of military and naval maps and prints formed by Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721-65), third son of George II; subsequently acquired by George III (1738-1820)
Namur, Walloon Region, Belgium (50°28'00"N 04°52'02"E)