Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
Siege of Dunkirk, 1646
ASPEC DE LA VILLE DE DVNQVERQVE DV COSTE DV NORT
1650 or laterEngraving and etching; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper, then joined; mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edge to bottom | 31.1 x 56.4 cm (image) | RCIN 723072
A view and map of Dunkirk, besieged from 17 September to 11 October 1646 by the combined French and Dutch forces commanded by Louis II de Bourbon-Condé (duc d'Enghien; 8 September 1621-11 December 1686) and supported by the Dutch fleet commanded by Admiral Maarten Tromp (23 April 1598-10 August 1653), resulting in the capitulation of the town by the Spanish. Thirty Years War (1618-1648).
The print is in two parts: the upper section depicts a view of Dunkirk as it would have been seen from the sea while the lower part comprises a combination of outline plan of the fortified walls of the town and portraits on horseback of the French commanders including Josias Rantzau (18 October 1609-14 September 1660), Jean de Gassion (1609-1647), and, to the right the duc d'Enghien who presents Louis XIII with the surrendered town.
The engraver of this print, René Lochon, would have been ten or, perhaps, fourteen years old at the time of this siege. It is possible that this print was published sometime later as a retrospective engraving made to illustrate a history of the area or war.
René Lochon (1636-75) (engraver) [bottom right, between the hind legs of the rearmost horse:] ЯLocho
Watermark: Print: large coat of arms. Mount: none.
Condition: five fold lines. Verso: surface dirt
31.1 x 56.4 cm (image)
cropped (platemark)
31.3 x 57.0 cm (sheet)
40.0 x 50.1 cm (mount)
Printed title:
ASPEC DE LA VILLE DE DVNQVERQVE DV COSTE DV NORT [across top of print]
Additional text:
[top, right of centre, a key, A, b-f.] [bottom, right of centre, in rectangular panel, text begins:] Cette ville n'est qu'a 6 lieue de Calais, 3 de Graueline 1 de Mardic et cinq de / Nieuport …
Annotations:
George III heading: Dunkirk 17 Sep. – 11 Oct. 1646.
Other annotations: (Recto) [top left, black pencil, erased: the old heading]. (Verso) none.
George III catalogue entry:
Dunkirk Plan et Vue de la Ville de Dunquerque, assiegée par l’Armée du Roy commandée par le Duc d’Enguien, le 17 Septembre et prise le 11 Octobre 1646; par R. Lochon.
Subject(s)
Dunkirk, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (51°03'0"N 02°22'00"E)
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. 3196
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
