't Hof van Brussel [The Coudenberg Palace towering over the city of Brussels].

Engraving, 14 x 20 cm (trimmed outside the platemark, small margins).

Stuck by corners under passe-partout.

Rare set of 12 pl. in first state of Collaert's 24 "Views of the environs of Brussels". This first edition published by Hans Van Luyck in Antwerp is not numbered. Later editions by C.C. Visscher ascribed authorship to Hans Bol, but also Jacob Grimmer is suggested as possible "inventor". The views represent villages, castles, and abbeys in an intimate, direct manner based closely on studies from life. Their naturalistic approach differs from that of the imaginary, mythological panoramas produced by Italian landscape artists of the period. By publishing regional landscapes Van Luyck met the needs of a clientele who was increasingly more interested in regional geography. Printed within the images are sometimes titles identifying the places pictured on the respective plates.
Ref. Hollstein IV (Hans Collaert) 149-172. - A. Diels, "Wat d'yser can bemaelen". Prenten van de Antwerpse graveurs familie Collaert (1550-1630), Bruxelles, 2005, cat. 12.