Belgium - Liège / Luik; Anonimo - PLAN van de ACTIE voorgevallen tusschen de Geallieerde Armee en die der Franssen, bij de Stad LUYK, - 1721-1750

Exceptional and important large 1746 eighteenth-century military map depicting the historic Battle of Rocoux near the city of Liège, finely engraved on copper with a dense legend in Old Dutch and preserved with crisp original inkwork.

This extraordinary and exceptionally well-documented military map is an iconographic record of the utmost importance for the geopolitical history and military engineering of eighteenth-century Europe. The plate was printed in 1746 to document in real time the complex maneuvers of the celebrated Battle of Rocoux, fought on October 11 of that year as part of the War of the Austrian Succession, in which the French army led by Marshal Maurice of Saxony clashed with the Allied coalition army under the command of Prince Charles of Lorraine. The work is distinguished by a majestic editorial block on the right-hand side of the sheet, entirely occupied by an extremely detailed legend in Old Dutch that guides the viewer, day by day and sector by sector, through the unfolding of the famous pitched battle.
The visual composition is laid out with an exceptionally rigorous geometric and scientific approach. The lower portion of the sheet depicts the topography of the northern part of the city of Liège (Luijk), showing the imposing star-shaped structure of its fortified Citadel, beyond which lies the broad plain (Plaine) that served as the battlefield. The drawing meticulously maps the dense and precise tactical deployment of the troops, identifying the infantry battalions, the heavy cavalry corps of the Dutch forces positioned on the left flank, and the Corps de Reserve formation. The map describes with absolute precision the advance of the French attack columns in close formation, the strategic positioning of the cannon batteries, and the layout of the artillery redoubts (Redouts) erected near the historic villages of Rocoux, Varoux, and Liers. The item is in excellent overall condition. Printed on sturdy, thick eighteenth-century paper with a watermark, it retains clean original black-and-white inkwork, with rich blacks and crisp contrasts. The sheet shows the natural folds from its original publication, resulting from its former inclusion in historical and military chronicles of the period; it has healthy margins on all four sides and a completely blank reverse, making it a highly prized collector’s item with considerable historical value and strong visual impact.

Dimensions: 40 x 53 cm
Will be shipped by courier