Hoefnagel, Georg “Palacios”/“Alcanerilla”/“Cabeças.” [Spain]

Georg Hoefnagel.  “Palacios”/“Alcanerilla”/“Cabeças.”  [Spain].  From Braun & Hogenberg’s Civitates Orbis Terrarum. 

Cologne: Georg Braun & Frans Hogenberg, 1588.  Volume V. Pages 356-7. Engraving (hand colored)  14 1/2 x 19 3/8.  Some wear in margins.  Framed.  Very good condition.  

A lovely view of three towns in  Spain from Braun and Hogenberg’s Civitates Orbis Terrarum, one of the most important works from the early days of modern cartography and topographical illustration.  Braun, the editor, and Hogenberg, the engraver, worked for over twenty years to produce their “towns of the world,” the first systematic depiction of views of cities throughout the world.  This work, issued in six volumes from 1572 to 1617, was a monumental piece of Renaissance learning and was designed to complement Ortelius’ Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first modern atlas.  These two geographical studies, both firsts of their type, were in response to a new interest in the nature of the world by the Western European population.  This nascent interest was spurred both by the existence of a growing middle class and the relatively new general availability of printed books.  This fine view is an excellent example of the content of one of the greatest of these volumes.  It shows three Spanish towns, based on drawings by George Hoefnagel in 1565.

An added and important feature of this set of views is the figure of Georg (Joris) Hoefnagel (1542-1600) shown sketching the city and landscape of Cabecas in 1565.  See Fussel and Althoff Catalogue of the City Views (Taschen) pp. 28 and 356-7.  The three cities are: Los Palacios Villafranca, Las Alcantarillas and Las Cabezas de San Juan. An exceptional insight to show the artist.

Click the links below to view others from this series: 

"Gandavum, Amplissima Flandriae Urbs" [Ghent, Belgium]

"Hypra Flandriarum" [Ypres, Belgium]

"Tornacum." [Tournay, Belgium]

"Mechelen" [Belgium]

"S. Audomari" [St. Omer, France]

"Heidelberga, Spira, Wormatia" [Heidelberg, Speyer & Worms, Germany]

 "Pervsia" [Perugia, Italy]

"Sneecha. vulgo Sneeck Frisiæ Occidentalis Oppidum/ "Sloten"/ Doccum/ Ylstæ" [Sneeck, Sloten, Docum & Ylst, Netherlands]

"Die Stat Swybuschin in nider Schlesein”  [Swiebodzin, Poland]