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Description

This is a hand-colored engraving of Odense (referred to as Othenarum or Otthoniae) in Denmark, from Braun & Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum. The map, dated 1593, offers a panoramic bird’s-eye view of the city, highlighting its layout, architecture, and surrounding fertile landscape. The title transcribes as follows:

The episcopal city of Othenarum or Otthoniae, as it is commonly called, capital of Funen, the loveliest and most fertile of the Danish kingdom’s islands, shown according to its appearance and layout in this century. Depicted in the year of grace 1593. . . 

This map portrays Odense from a southern vantage point, offering a detailed representation of the city's urban plan during the late 16th century. The River Odense is depicted meandering through the countryside before flowing into the fjord at the top right. The city's rural surroundings and absence of formidable ramparts are notable, with a simple wooden fence encircling the settlement. 

  • St. Canute's Cathedral (Sankt Knuds Kirke): Located prominently in the lower-left quadrant, the cathedral is Denmark’s largest Romanesque church, a masterpiece of sacred architecture associated with a Benedictine monastery. The cathedral’s historical significance is underscored by the 1086 assassination of King Canute IV within its earlier wooden predecessor.

  • Market Square and Royal Court: The city’s central area features a spacious market square, doubling as a site for tribunals and commerce, particularly the sale of fish. Around 1500, the partial relocation of the royal court to Odense spurred urban and economic growth.

  • Other Churches and Monasteries: The view also includes other ecclesiastical structures, such as St. John’s monastery, which transitioned into a royal town hall after the dissolution of its monastic community.

Odense, first mentioned in AD 988, derives its name from the Norse god Odin, reflecting its roots in the Viking Age. By the 11th century, it had become an episcopal seat and evolved into a hub of religious and trading activity by the mid-14th century. Its strategic and fertile location on Funen, one of Denmark's most agriculturally rich islands, bolstered its significance. By 1600, Odense’s population had reached approximately 6,000, marking it as one of Denmark's prominent urban centers. 

The engraving credits Heinrich Rantzau, a noted Danish noble and royal advisor, for sponsoring the map’s creation.  

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
German text on verso (ca. 1600).
Reference
Van der Krogt IV, [Odense:41]
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.