Bethlehem (1698) Very large (88cm wide) 17th century copper engraving with a panoramic view of Bethlehem. It depicts the city as well as the nearby herding grounds. Arab horsemen, loungers, and a hunting dog roam in the foreground. This view was most likely rendered in secret during de Bruijin’s second world tour. The Holy Land was then under the control of the Ottoman Empire who imposed strict limitations on pilgrims and tourist from Europe. It is highly unlikely that de Bruijin would have been allowed to make sketches of the region openly. The engraving was made by C. de Bruyn for his book ´Reizen van Cornelis de Bruyn door de vermaardste deelen van Klein Asia…´, 1698, Delft (Netherlands). In this book he describes in great detail a voyage of several years through the Ottoman Empire, mainly through modern day Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Israel and Lebanon. Good condition. Some repairs and reinforcements on the back (mainly the folds), with very minimal impact on the image. Otherwise excellent. Clean paper with clear print. Wide margins. Image 23x62cm, sheet 33x88cm