Views of Friesland · 17th century
€ 220
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Good, given age. A few handling creases, general age toning, and minor defects consistent with age and use. Please see the scan for details.
Antique Engraving of Leeuwarden, Friesland with Peace and Justice, c.1625
Small, evocative city view of Leeuwarden, capital of Friesland, with the personifications of Peace and Justice seated in the clouds above the skyline.
The motto at the top reads “Fried und Gerechtigkeit küssen sich. Psalm 85” (Peace and righteousness kiss, Psalm 85). Below the image are the customary Latin and German distichs, here paraphrasing: “Peace kisses her sister Justice; where these prevail, prosperity follows.” In the middle distance the walled city is shown with church spires, windmills and gates; in the foreground a polder landscape unfolds with grazing cattle and horses, a farmer at work, and neat fields—an emblematic tableau of civic order and plenty.
The print belongs to the celebrated emblem-and-townview series known as Thesaurus Philopoliticus / Politisches Schatzkästlein, conceived by the Bohemian-German poet Daniel Meisner (1585–1625) and published by Eberhard Kieser in Frankfurt between 1623 and 1632.
Each plate combines a moralizing device with a recognizable view, making the series a landmark of early-seventeenth-century urban iconography. The present plate is the Leeuwarden view (“Lewarden”), with the allegory underscoring the city’s prosperity grounded in peace and justice.
These compact engravings are prized by collectors for their crisp line, engaging symbolism, and documentary value for the appearance of European towns in the early 1600s.
Sheet size: 19.2 x 15 cm; image size: 14 x 9.5 cm. Etching/engraving on laid paper.
Condition report: Good, given age. A few handling creases, general age toning, and minor defects consistent with age and use. Please see the scan for details.
Framing tips: A simple dark-stained or black frame with a warm off-white mount suits the period and keeps focus on the fine linework. A thin inner line in grey or muted green echoes the landscape tones without overpowering the composition.
Technique: Etching and engraving on laid paper
Maker: Anonymous engraver after Daniel Meisner; published by Eberhard Kieser, Frankfurt am Main, 1623–1632
