Fiandre / Paesi Bassi / Francia - Gravelines (Grevelingen); Lodovico Guicciardini (1521-1589) - Gravelinga, urbs maritima, olim portu amplissimo famosa. - 1581-1600

This splendid and important perspectival engraving constitutes the historical and military description of the city and fortress of Gravelines (Grevelinge, indicated in the cartouche as Gravelinga, urbs maritima, olim portu amplissimo famosa), today located in the Nord department in France, included within the famous work Descrittione di tutti i Paesi Bassi, first published in Antwerp from 1567 by the Florentine historian and merchant Lodovico Guicciardini. The view describes the imposing star-bastioned defensive system that surrounded the Flemish town, historically contested for its strategic position on the sea between the Kingdom of France and the Spanish Empire. The composition, characterized by the meticulous geometric rendering typical of Flemish school engravings, shows the fortress entirely encircled by water-filled moats fed by the Aa river, with the intricate internal urban fabric in which the main historic buildings, barracks, and parade grounds can be seen. The lower-left corner is embellished with a refined Mannerist cartouche with panels, volutes, and mascarons framing the descriptive Latin title, while the lower-right quadrant is animated by a small dynamic figurative scene depicting two armored knights on a promontory. The copy is presented in an excellent and clean black-and-white condition that beautifully highlights the finesse of the original engraving and the breadth of its margins.

Dimensions 32 x 41 cm
It will be shipped by courier