Preview
Creation Date
17th–18th centuries
Geography
Paris, France
Culture
French
Medium
Hand-colored engraving
Dimensions
With frame: 16 13/16 × 18 3/8 × 2 in. (42.6 × 46.6 × 5.1 cm)
Credit Line
Long-term Loan from the Estate of Boris Blick, 2015
Accession Number
2015.90
Provenance
According to Professor Sarah Blick, this print was acquired by Boris Blick in Paris in the mid-1950s, possibly from one of the print dealers that lined the Seine.
Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings
Beneath image, lower left: "A Paris chez Crepy rue Sṭ Jacques a Sṭ Pierre"; lower center, "PARIS"
In bottom margin, upper center: "Ville Capitale du Rẹ de France a 2300 an dantiquité .Cesar et Julien y ont sejournée . on y a adoré plusicurs Divinité , Isis etoit la / principale Sṭ Denis y a fait connoitre la Religion Chretienne vers lan 250 . elle estprescntement divisé en 20 quatier , elle a 980 Ruc / 2400. maisons 400 . beaux Hotels et au moins un million d'Habitans 600 archers a pied eta cheval veille la nuita la surté de la ville et5800 / lanterne leclairent, elle a toujour eté le siege des Roys de France de puis clovis."; bottom margin, middle center, in adjacent lists of four separated by a vertical line (as indicated by "|"), "|1. Le Cour la Reyne / 2.Porte de la Conference. / 3.Les Thuilleries. / 4 .Le Louvre. | 5.Le PointRoayale. / 6. l'Assomption. / 7 . Sṭ Eustache. / 8. SṭGermaindeLauxcrois. | 9.Sṭ Jacques de la Boucherie / 10.La Stẹ Chapelle. / 11 .N.D.Cathedrale. / 12.Les Grands Augustins. | 13.College des 4 nations / 14. Sṭ Germaindes Prez. / 15 . La Sorlonne. / 16.SṭEtieñe etStẹGenevieve. | 17.LeValdeGrace. / 18.Le Pont Neuf. / 19.La Riviere de Seyne. / 20.Les Invalides. |"; bottom margin, middle center: "A Paris echez Crepy rue Sṭ Jacques a lange gardien."
Each numbered location in the margin corresponds to a numbered location within the image.
Rubber stamp on back of frame: "DENIS CONLEY GALLERY / 754 Kenmore Blvd. / AKRON, OH 44314 / 216-753-2022"
Creator Biography
Jean Crépy, French, ca.1660–1739 (printer/publisher).
Description
Detailed view of Paris rendered in shades of yellow and red, with city buildings lining the Siene along with iconic Paris places such as the Louvre, Tuileries, Pont Royal, and Notre Dame, noted with numbers corresponding to a key in the bottom margin. Church spires rise up into the horizon.
The Seine River cuts across the composition towards the front-facing facade of Notre Dame, the number “11” corresponding it to the key in the lower margin. A labeled topographical representation of Paris, this map is one of several such prints popular across 18th century Europe. Both functional and aesthetic, these prints were often made of important cities, commonly framing the city in relation to a central body of water.