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Thirty Years War (1618-48)

Maps, prints and letterpress text covering the major battles and sieges of the war

CARLO BIANCHI (ACTIVE 1629-33)

View of the siege of Casale Monferrato, 1628 (Casale Monferrato [Casale], Piedmont, Italy) 45°08ʹ00ʺN 08°27ʹ09ʺE

1629 or later

Etching and engraving; printed on paper; mounted on paper (Mount Type A) | Scale: 1:12,000 approx. | RCIN 722033

A high oblique view/map of the state in December 1628 of the first siege of Casale Monferrato, 28 March 1628-16 March 1629. War of the Mantuan Succession (1628-1631); part of the Thirty Years War (1618-48). Oriented with west to top (compass rose).

See the notes to RCIN 722031.

This view illustrates nicely the strategic position of the citadel of Casale Monferrato, nestling between the uplands and the river Po, and showing the positions of the Spanish camps and redoubts. The compass rose is based on the mariner's model where the initials stand for Tramontana (north), Greco (north-east), Levante (east), Scirocco (south-east), Ostro (south), Garbino (south-west), Ponente (west), and Maestro (north-west).

  • Carlo Bianchi (active 1629-33) (engraver) [bottom right, to left of the key:] Carlo Bianchi F.

    Mateo Pampini (active 1628) (dedicator)

    Subject(s)

    Army-Spain
    Army-Italy
  • Watermark: None visible

    Condition: about six fold lines; the map appears to have been folded in half in the past so that there is offsetting from the key, bottom right, on the top right half of the maps and, similarly, offsetting from the title and cartouche from the top left half onto the bottom left half. Verso: remains of mount [B] on verso; no gilt edges; some offsetting from a different image

  • Scale: 1:12,000 approx. Scale bar: SCALA DE PASSI 500 [35 mm =].

    57.7 x 39.7 cm (image and sheet)

    cropped (platemark)

  • Printed title:

    DISEGNO DEL ASSEDIO DI / CASAL MONFERRATO [top left]

    Dedication:

    [top left] All' Ill.mo et Ecc.mo Sig.re et Pro'ne mio Colendiss.o il Sig:r Gio: Pauolo Sforza / Visconte, Marchese di Carauaggio, Gouernatore de gl' huomini d'Arme e de ci / nque cento Caualli leggieri, Cap:d'Infanteria Spagnuola, et di Lanze per S.M.C. / nello Stato di Milano. etc. … D·V·S· Ill:ma et Ecc:ma / Diuotiss:o Ser:re / Mateo Pampini inggnie / ro.

    Additional text:

    [top left, following on from dedication:] Col bnon Capo d'Anno pago una menomiss.a parte, del' gran tributo, che deuo alla / liberale Magnificenza di V. E; dalla cui forza l'animo mio non meno e' assediato, / che dal ualor dell' Armi del Re' Catolico la Cittá di Casale': il cui Assedio, / se non ingegnosamente disegnato, almeno rozzamente abbozzato gradira / V: E. per esere effetto de Suoi comandi, e fatica d'un suo obbediente e / fedele Seruidore, Con che li prego dal Cielo un feliciss.o Capo d'Anno, / Da Milano 31. decembre 1628 [bottom right, in a rectangular panel, two keys: 1-20:] Nomi de Posti, e Fortificationi, che tien' Casale. [and, 1-28:] Nomi di siti, e Posti, che sono nel' Assedio di Cas / ale, occupati del Esercito Cattolicho nel modo, / che sitrouano al Presente.

    Annotations:

    George III heading: Casal besieged by Don Gonzales de Cordova, 28 March 1628 – 16 March 1629.

    Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [left of centre, black pencil:] II/27; [left of centre, red pencil:] 1/163; [bottom left, black pencil, cropped:] II.

    George III catalogue entry:

    Casal Disegno del Assedio di Casal Monferrato, da Mateo Pampini Ing.r 1628, intagliata da C. Bianchi.

  • Subject(s)

    Casale Monferrato [Casale], Piedmont, Italy (45°08ʹ00ʺN 08°27ʹ09ʺE)

  • 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. 2875

Page revisions

  • 25 May 2024