War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)
Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Siege of Lille, 1708
PLAN DE LA CITADELLE / DE LILLE
1709 or laterPencil, pen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on coarse linen | Scale: 1:4,400 approx. | RCIN 726013
A map of the siege of the citadel of Lille by the Allied army commanded by Prince Eugène of Savoy (1663-1736), from 29 October to its surrender on 8 December 1708. War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14). Oriented with west-north-west to top.
This appears to be a copy of the printed plan, published in 1709 by Fricx, at RCIN 726012. The style of draughtsmanship is similar to that of the Board of Ordnance Drawing Room in the Tower of London; the map may have been copied in the 1740s, or earlier, for the Duke of Cumberland.
Brüchmann (active 1708-9) (surveyor) [in text, below title:] Le tout dessiné et levé avec la derniere exactitude pendant et apres le Siege, avec les attaques et la force des ouvrages representés en profil, par le Sieur Brüchman Capitaine de S.A.E. de Bruns: Luneb: et Hanovre.
Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, the figure ‘4’ suspending the letters WR below; countermark: IV
Mark, stamped: 121
Condition: one fold line. Verso: water-stained patch from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label; foxing
Scale: 1:4,400 approx. Scale bar: Echelle de 200. Toises pour la Citadelle [98 mm =].
33.1 x 54.2 cm (neatline)
42.5 x 54.4 cm (image)
43.7 x 55.5 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
PLAN DE LA CITADELLE / DE LILLE [top left, in rectangular panel]
Inset:
[bottom, below plan, a section across the fortifications of the citadel:] Profil.
Scale: 1:419 approx. Scale bar: Echelle de 20. Toises pour le Profil [92 mm =].
Size: 8.8 x 54.0 cm (neatline).Additional text:
[in cartouche, below title: a brief account of the siege and a key to the plan, A-I, K-R.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Citadelle of Lille 29 Oct.r - 8 Dec.r 1708.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, black pencil:] 65. [the ‘5’ is superimposed over a ‘4’]; [bottom, left of centre, black pencil, in Schultz's hand?:] 29 octobre - 8 Decre citadelle de Lille 1708; [bottom, left of centre, black pencil:] 53; [right centre, red pencil:] 53.
George III catalogue entry:
Lille Plan dessiné de la Citadelle de Lille avec les Attaques de 1708, copié d'apres le Plan du Capt.ne Bruchman.
Subject(s)
Lille, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (50°37'58"N 03°03'30"E)
