Panoramic view of a city (Mâcon?).

Drawing, pen and brown ink, framing lines in black ink, 25,2 x 49,5 cm, laid paper with watermark (grapes, similar to Bricquet:13.082), unsigned (laid down on paper mount, trimmed to the framing line, section (2,5 x 36 cm) at lower left missing and repaired, old vert. fold at center still visible, some dirt stains).

Wide view of a fortified city situated by the river side. The town can possibly be identified as Mâcon at the right bank of the Saône, which also corresponds to the contemporary view in Braun and Hogenberg's city atlas. Also the vinyards upon the river island were common for the area. The detailed rendering and topographic plotting of the view is strikingly similar to that of Antoon Van den Wijngaerde (1510-1571), who was known for his mastery of topographically accurate and beautiful depictions of cities. The artist entered the service of Philip II in 1557 and between 1557 and 1567 he produced panoramas of cities in the Low Countries, France, England and Spain for the Spanish King. Approximately sixty city views were to have been published by Christophe Plantin as a town plan atlas, a plan which, unfortunately, never materialised. Like in Van den Wijngaerde's city views, the artist of this sheet was able to make his sketches from a high view point, where he had a good overall view.