Map of 17th century London by Wenceslaus Hollar, c.1688 art print poster canvas gift

An iconic pictorial map of London by Wenceslaus Hollar c.1688. This map was printed and hand-coloured in Netherlands sometimes after 1688 and contains a double-portrait of William III and Mary Stuart. It is included in so-called "Atlas Van der Hagen" collection.

The Václav Hollar (1607 – 1677) was known in England as Wenceslaus or Wenceslas and as Wenzel Hollar in Germany. He was born in Prague and studied as law student until his family was ruined by the Sack of Prague in the thirty Years' War. Hollar decided to become as artist and became an apprentice to the renowned engraver Matthaus Merian in Frankfurt. In 1633 Hollar moved to Cologne and in 1635 published his first book. It was in 1636 that he attracted the notice of the famous nobleman and art collector Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, then on a diplomatic mission to the imperial court of Emperor Ferdinand II. In 1637 he went with Arundel to England, where he remained in the earl's and later in Duke of York households. He continued to produce works prolifically throughout the English Civil War, the Great Fire of London in 1666, producing some famous engravings and illustrating books. Poorly paid, he died in London in extreme poverty, his last recorded words being a request to the bailiffs that they would not carry away the bed on which he was dying. Hollar is interred in St Margaret's Church in Westminster.

The Atlas Van der Hagen is a collection of maps and topographical pictures, with additional portraits, pictures of animals and plants, mythological scenes, etc. Recent research regards the Amsterdam merchant and map collector Dirk van der Hagen as its compositor. The atlas consists of four volumes bound in parchment and contain 446 maps and prints, in various formats, beautifully coloured and decorated with gold, including this map by Wenceslaus Hollar and many other works, all dating from the period up to 1689.

This poster is a high quality "giclée" reproduction of a restored antique original, custom-printed on Standard Single-weight Matt Coated art paper 140gsm or  Heavyweight Matt Coated art paper 230gsm (more of a thin card density), or superb Epson Matt Canvas 320gsm, according to your choice. We use the latest UltraChromeHDX pigment inks which guarantee 60 years of colour  permanence (up to 200 years fade-proof for colour prints).  This poster is suitable for mounting and framing, as well as direct display on a wall.