West Front of Antwerp Cathedral, Antique Engraving after Allom, circa 1850

About this sheet

The west front of the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp is shown head on, its single completed north tower soaring to a lantern and cross high above the square. The tower is drawn in remarkable detail, tier upon tier of Gothic tracery, pinnacles and openwork, with a large clock dial near its middle. The shorter south tower, capped with a small spire, and the great central portal with its window above complete the facade.

Old houses press in on both sides of the square, and a row of small buildings stands against the foot of the cathedral itself. In the foreground, townspeople in Flemish dress, women in white caps and long skirts, men in tall hats, cross the cobbles, while a cart and horses pass before the portal.

The lettering credits the drawing to Thomas Allom and the engraving to E. Roberts, and the title in script reads West Front of Cathedral of Notre Dame, Antwerp. The imprint is that of Peter Jackson, London and Paris. The cathedral's north tower, completed in the early sixteenth century, remains one of the tallest church towers in the Low Countries. Allom's viewpoint, low in the square, emphasizes its height and gives the old houses in the foreground a human scale.

This is a steel engraving, with the tracery of the tower picked out against a softly toned sky.

Its vertical format and strong architectural subject would suit a narrow wall, perhaps beside a bookcase or in an entrance hall, in a plain gilt frame.

Condition: Light wear to the bottom left corner. Age toning; handling soiling along the edges and foxing with some brown staining in the margins. Light staining in the upper margin. Printed image clean.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.