Pontault, Sébastien Beaulieu de
1678

Antique view of Montjuïc at Barcelona, Spain

Mont Iouy (Montjuïc. Barcelona, Spain)

DESCRIPTION: Antique view of Montjuïc, a broad, low hill in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain to the west of the old quarter. The top of Montjuïc (Castell de Montjuic) at about 550' is the site of several fortifications dating from the 17th century. These served as a prison, often holding political prisoners, until the time of General Franco.

Here, cannon are shown firing from the Castell while a marine semaphore atop a tall tower relays signals to nearby vessels. Montjuïc became a key element in the defence of Barcelona. By controlling the mountain and its communication with the rest of the city, the defenders of Barcelona could keep attacking troops further from the eastern perimeter of the city walls and the coastline.

This antique copper engraving is from Pontault de Beaulieu's "Plans et profils des villes des Pays-Bas, Lorraine, Alsace, Catalogne et Franche-Comté".

According to the Atlas de Barcelona

Beaulieu drew the part of the small fort built during the Reapers’ War – which he might have known – and hints at the citadel which should surround it, in what could be considered to be a “future project”. French interest in the strategic Catalonian capital meant that even Beaulieu drew what could be the defenses of Barcelona. The French National Library keeps an ink drawing that Beaulieu himself drew of the layout of Montjuïc castle with the same framing as the engraving. (http://www.atlesdebarcelona.cat/gravats/comments/38-beaulieu-sebastien-de-pontault-de/).

CREATOR: Pontault, Sébastien Beaulieu de

PUBLICATION DATE: 1678

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Spain

BODY OF WATER: Mediterranean Sea

CONDITION: Very Good. Clean. On heavy chain-laid paper of the period.

COLORING: None

ENGRAVER:

SIZE: 6 " x 4 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 13

PRICE: $225

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