HESDIN FRANCE 1588 BRAUN & HOGENBERG UNUSUAL ANTIQUE COPPER ENGRAVED VIEW

Hesdyn Fort. 

                                                                                               Description: Striking and highly detailed fine unusual copper engraved map featuring a bird's-eye of the city of Hesdin, France from the south. The view shows the city with his buildings, churches, streets, gardens, towns walls and surrounding landscape.

Published almost thirty five years after the town had been destroyed and rebuilt by Charles V, in evidence is the impressive moat and fortifications, with guards and cannons in each of the five bastions. The castle defended by its own moat, is one peculiar detail.

Present two balnk Armorials and a strapwork cartouche featuring an alternate title: "Hesdinum Oppidum et Castrum in expugnabile, bello inter Cæsarea nos et in Gallos astuante, excitatum". A couple in its typical dresses completes the sheet. French text on verso.

Date: 1588 ( undated )

Dimension: Paper size approx.: cm 53,8 x 40,6

Condition: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains. Plate old original colored. Wide margins. Small foxing and browning. Small tears restored. Sheet washed and retsored. Plate folded. Conditions are as you can see in the images.

Mapmakers: Georg Braun (also Brunus, Bruin; 1541 – 10 March 1622) was a topo-geographer. From 1572 to 1617 he edited the Civitates orbis terrarum, which contains 546 prospects, bird's-eye views and maps of cities from all around the world. He was the principal editor of the work, he acquired the tables, hired the artists, and wrote the texts. He died as an octogenarian in 1622, as the only survivor of the original team to witness the publication of volume VI in 1617.
 
Braun was born and died in Cologne. His principal profession was as a Catholic cleric, however, he spent thirty-seven years as canon and dean at the church, St. Maria ad Gradus, in Cologne. His six-volume work was inspired by Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia. In form and layout it resembles the 1570 Theatrum orbis terrarum by Abraham Ortelius, as Ortelius was interested in a complementary companion for the Theatrum.
 
The Braun publication set new standards in cartography for over 100 years. Frans Hogenberg (1535–1590, from Mechelen) created the tables for volumes I through IV, and Simon van den Neuwel created those for volumes V and VI. Other contributors were Joris Hoefnagel, Jacob Hoefnagel, cartographer Daniel Freese, and Heinrich Rantzau. Works by Jacob van Deventer, Sebastian Münster, and Johannes Stumpf were also used. Primarily European cities are depicted in the publication; however, Casablanca and Mexico City/Cuzco on one sheet[4] are also included in volume I.
 
Frans Hogenberg (1535–1590) was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker.
 
Hogenberg was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg. In 1568 he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva and travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He is known for portraits and topographical views as well as historical allegories. He also produced scenes of contemporary historical events.
 
Hogenberg died in Cologne.