Belgium - West Flanders

Celebrated and splendid double historical view of the Flemish port city of Ostend, titled respectively "OSTENDE" and "OSTENDE. An. der. Seiten". This magnificent and important copper-engraved print on copper was created by the legendary master engraver and cartographer Matthäus Merian (1593–1650) and published in Frankfurt by the heirs in 1659 within the monumental illustrated work Topographia Germaniae Inferioris. The composition is masterfully arranged into two panoramas, mirror-like, with a high dramatic impact. The upper view describes the fortified city seen from the inland of Flanders, highlighting its sturdy defensive ramparts, bulwarks, windmills, and the architectural silhouettes marked by legends in German. The lower view, instead, offers a spectacular maritime scene focused on the port of Ostend as seen from the North Sea, with the sea in the foreground plied by majestic warships and sailing transports with sails set. Printed on splendid parchment-laid paper contemporary to the seventeenth century, this sheet represents one of the most important and sought-after masterpieces of seventeenth-century Flemish urban iconography, uniting Merian’s extreme documentary precision with extraordinary decorative power. An elite piece in excellent condition, ideal for collectors of marine views and great masters of cartography. Dimensions 31 x 38 cm Will be shipped by courier

Estimate:$1.12

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