Sign In

- Or use -
Forgot Password Create Account
Description

This hand-colored bird’s-eye view of Calais, engraved by Braun & Hogenberg in the late 16th century, offers a richly detailed portrayal of the strategically significant French port city. Captured from the south, the map highlights the city’s fortifications and urban fabric during a pivotal period in its history. The caption notes Calais’ transition to Spanish control under King Philip in 1597, underscoring its contested nature as a gateway between France and England. 

The view is framed by the robust fortifications that define Calais’ defensive character, featuring bastions, walls, and a moat. On the left, the Citadel of Calais is prominently depicted. Built on the foundations of the medieval castle of Philippe Hurepel, this citadel served as a critical military installation. Adjacent to the citadel is the Tour de Guet (Watchtower), a surviving remnant of the city’s 13th-century defenses.

In the center of the city, the Town Hall is surrounded by a network of densely packed buildings, representing the administrative and commercial heart of Calais. This building would later undergo significant reconstruction in the Flemish Renaissance style. To the right stands the Church of Notre Dame, notable for its Gothic architecture and historical significance. The depiction of these landmarks reflects the city’s blend of medieval and early modern architecture. 

Calais, described by Braun as a "gateway to France," held immense strategic value due to its location on the narrowest point of the English Channel, directly opposite Dover. Captured by England in 1347 during the Hundred Years’ War, it remained under English control for over two centuries until its recapture by France in 1558. By the time of this view, the city had become a fortified stronghold under Spanish rule, reflecting its continued importance in European geopolitics.

The surrounding waters are populated with ships, illustrating Calais’ role as a maritime hub. This activity underscores the city’s economic and military significance as a port that connected Flanders, France, and England.   

Civitates Orbis Terrarum: The Greatest City Book

Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg began the process of creating a comprehensive atlas of the cities of the world in 1572. Their book, Civitates Orbis Terrarum, was originally intended as a companion to Abraham Ortelius's Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, the first true atlas.

The great atlas was edited by Georg Braun, with Franz Hogenberg engraving many of the views. When the project was finished, the series would contain over 546 views (sometimes with multiple views on a single plate).

Civitates Orbis Terrarum includes the work of over 100 artists and topographers, perhaps most notable among them was the superlative talent of Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). He provided original drawings of Spanish and Italian towns, as well as reworking and improving the town drawings of other artists. After Joris's death, his son Jakob continued the project.

The Civitates provides an incredibly comprehensive view of urban life in the late 16th century. Many of the views in these volumes are the earliest of their respective towns -- either absolutely, or they are predated only by impossible rarities, as in the case of London. Cities portrayed range from the great capitals of Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas to small Swiss hamlets and other tiny villages. As such, this singular and indispensable source for understanding the early modern world.

The work was published in six volumes, each of which contained approximately sixty plates. The subject matter of each plate varied widely, it could provide a single view of a city, two views of the same city, or views of up to nine different cities. The range of designs is extensive, and it is interesting to compare the variety between views of the same city by two different authors.

Condition Description
Old color. discoloration at centerfold.
Georg Braun Biography

Georg Braun (1541-1622) was born and died in Cologne. His primary vocation was as Catholic cleric; he spent thirty-seven years as canon and dean at the church St. Maria ad Gradus, in Cologne. Braun was the chief editor of the Civitates orbis terrarum, the greatest book of town views ever published.  His job entailed hiring artists, acquiring source material for the maps and views, and writing the text. In this role, he was assisted by Abraham Ortelius. Braun lived into his 80s, and he was the only member of the original team to witness the publication of the sixth volume in 1617.

Frans Hogenberg Biography

Frans Hogenberg (ca. 1540-ca. 1590) was a Flemish and German engraver and mapmaker who also painted. He was born in Mechelen, south of Antwerp, the son of wood engraver and etcher Nicolas Hogenberg. Together with his father, brother (Remigius), uncle, and cousins, Frans was one member of a prominent artistic family in the Netherlands.

During the 1550s, Frans worked in Antwerp with the famous mapmaker Abraham Ortelius. There, he engraved the maps for Ortelius’ groundbreaking first atlas, published in Antwerp in 1570, along with Johannes van Deotecum and Ambrosius and Ferdinand Arsenius. It is suspected he engraved the title page as well. Later, Ortelius supported Hogenberg with information for a different project, the Civitates orbis terrarium (edited by Georg Braun, engraved by Hogenberg, published in six volumes, Cologne, 1572-1617). Hogenberg engraved the majority of the work’s 546 prospects and views.

It is possible that Frans spent some time in England while fleeing from religious persecution, but he was living and working in Cologne by 1580. That is the city where he died around 1590. In addition to his maps, he is known for his historical allegories and portraits. His brother, Remigius, also went on to some fame as an engraver, and he died around the same time as his brother.