Thirty Years War (1618-48)
Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war
Map of the siege of Corbie, 1636 (Corbie, Picardie, France) 49°54ʹ32ʺN 02°30ʹ26ʺE
1636 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type B); gilt edge to top | 19.7 x 27.9 cm (neatline) | RCIN 722088
A high oblique view/map of the French fortress of Corbie, besieged on 7 August and taken on 15 August 1636 by the Spanish army commanded by Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria (1609/10-9 November 1641), Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, resulting in the capitulation of the town. Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Oriented with south-east to top.
The exploding mortar shells, which had wreaked such havoc at La Capelle (see RCIN 722087) were used to good effect in this siege of Corbie and the positions of the mortars are marked 'luogo della bombe'. Corbie was recaptured by the French the following November (see RCIN 722039.d). The besieging army is shown confined to the northern side of the town which was defended, to the south, by the natural defences of river and marshland.
? Giovanni Paolo Bianchi (fl. 1617-54) (etcher) Either by Giovanni Paolo Bianchi or Carlo Bianchi
? Carlo Bianchi (active 1629-33) (etcher) Bianc f. [bottom left]
Subject(s)
Army-SpainWatermark: Map: indistinct design in circle, the letters H B below. Mount: none.
Condition: one fold line to print; brown discolouration, especially to the mount; pressure marks from the mounts of items which were kept above and below this print in a different collection are present on the recto and verso
19.7 x 27.9 cm (neatline)
21.2 x 27.9 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
24.9 x 35.2 cm (mount)
Printed title:
Vero Disegno della Piazza di Corbie, presa nella Francia dal Ser.mo Infante Card. di Spagna, doue si uedono gl’ approchi fatti nel / prenderla, et la nuoua fortificatione agiontaui da quella R. Altezza. [across top of map in rectangular panel]
Additional text:
[top, following on from title, in title panel, a key: A. B., to the Spanish approach trenches and the new fortifications.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Corbie taken by the Spaniards in 1635.
Other annotations: none.
George III catalogue entry:
Corbie Disegno della Piazza di Corbie presa nella Francia dal Ser. Infante Card. di Spagna, 1635: da Bianchi.
Subject(s)
Corbie, Picardie, France (49°54ʹ32ʺN 02°30ʹ26ʺE)
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. 2969
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
