Ottoman-Habsburg Wars (1521-1791)
Images from eight wars fought between 1570 and 1718
A view of Osijek, 1664 (Osijek [Essek, Essick], Osječko-Baranska, Croatia) 45°33ʹ04ʺN 18°41ʹ38ʺE
1664 or laterEngraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type B) | 18.8 x 21.1 cm (image) | RCIN 723120.a
A medium-high oblique view of Osijek bridge, built in 1526 on the orders of Suleiman the Great, spanning the River Draba and surrounding marshes between Osijeck and the Fortress of Dada to the north. Oriented with north-north-east to top. Habsburg-Ottoman Wars (Fourth Austro-Turkish War) (1663-4).
The bridge was 7 km (4.3 miles) long and 6 metres 20 ft wide. Its strategic importance lay in the easy access it gave Ottoman troops into western Europe, notably towards Vienna. The event shown in this print was the partially successful attempt to destroy the bridge by burning by the Ban [viceregal governor under the Habsburgs] of Croatia from 1647-1664, Nicholas VII of Zrin (Miklós Zrínyi; Croatian: Nikola Zrinski, 1620-64) – the 'Conte Nicolo di Sd'rin' in the text of this print. The objective of this assault, made on 1 February early in the 1664 campaign season, was to impede Ottoman access to Vienna.
The bridge was destroyed by the Austrian army some twenty-two years later in 1686: see RCIN 724135.
Piochetti, Giocomo (printer)
Giuseppe Elme (print seller) [bottom left, below text:] si Stampano p Iacomo piochetti al piede mar.o al Collao ro Sup. l. / Si uendono p. Gioseppe Elme a pasquino
Watermark: Map: none visible. Mount: none.
Condition: no fold lines
18.8 x 21.1 cm (image)
cropped (platemark)
13.5 x 20.5 cm (neatline)
19.2 x 21.2 cm (sheet)
19.9 x 24.1 cm (mount)
Printed title:
IL VERO · DISEGNO DEL / FAMOSO PONTE · APRESO / LA · FORTEZZA · DI · ESECH / INCENDIATO DAL’ ARMI / Di S· Ma.ta Ces.ra [bottom right, in scroll]
Additional text:
[bottom, below view, a short description of the burning of the bridge at Essek; text begins:] Il primo di Febraro la mattina nel' spuntar del giorno sincamminamo del difacimento del ponte …
Annotations:
George III heading: The Bridge of Essek burnt by Count Serin 2 Feb.y 1664.
Other annotations: (Recto) [left, black pencil, erased:] 1664. (Verso) none.
George III catalogue entry:
Essek Disegno del Ponte apreso la Fortezza di Essech incendiato dal Armi Imperiali sotto la condotta del Conte di Serin, li 2 di Febraro 1664: da I. Piochetti e G. Elme.
Subject(s)
Osijek [Essek, Essick], Osječko-Baranska, Croatia (45°33ʹ04ʺN 18°41ʹ38ʺE)
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. 3239
Page revisions
23 May 2024
Current version
