Gibraltar - Spain

This beautifully hand-colored, richly detailed 18th-century print titled

“Gibraltar met alle zyne Fortificatien en Verbeeteringen tot desselvs verzeekering”

(“Gibraltar with all its Fortifications and Improvements for its Defense”) presents a striking and authoritative bird’s-eye depiction of the Gibraltar peninsula, a site of immense strategic importance at the entrance to the Mediterranean.

Originally designed by Daniel de La Feuille, a skilled cartographer and engraver of French origin active in Amsterdam, this view was later issued by Johannes Ratelband and Weege, prominent Dutch publishers of maritime and topographic works during the early 18th century.

The map includes:

• A fortified city plan rendered in bold red with surrounding natural elevations, roads, and military structures
• A detailed panoramic landscape view of Gibraltar from the sea, complete with ships and coastline
• Two inset elevation views: one showing Gibraltar from the east across the strait, the other from the northwest
• A large key (Verklaring) identifying named landmarks, batteries, and defenses
• Decorative cartouches, compass rose, and allegorical figures enhancing the composition

Created in the aftermath of the War of Spanish Succession, shortly after Gibraltar fell to Anglo-Dutch forces (1704), this print reflects Dutch interest in the region’s strategic control and fortification.

Details:

• Engraver/Designer: Daniel de La Feuille
• Publisher: Johannes Ratelband & Weege (Amsterdam)
• Title: Gibraltar met alle zyne Fortificatien en Verbeeteringen tot desselvs verzeekering
• Date: ca. 1720
• Medium: Copperplate engraving with original hand-coloring
• Language: Dutch
• Dimensions: 18 x 46 cm
• Condition: Excellent; strong impression, rich original color, minimal age wear, centerfold as issue
• VAT: Margingoods

Significance

A historically rich and visually captivating depiction of one of Europe’s most strategically contested locations. This print stands at the intersection of military cartography, maritime power, and Dutch print culture, and is a valuable piece for collectors of fortification plans, Mediterranean history, and 18th-century cartographic art.