Burgos Cathedral, Spain, Antique View of the Gothic West Front, circa 1850

A view of the west front of Burgos cathedral in Castile, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption beneath the image reads Die CATHÉDRALE in BURGOS / in Spanien, in English the cathedral in Burgos, Spain.

The upright plate is filled by the cathedral front, its two openwork spires rising almost the full height of the image, with a rose window and portals below and the pinnacled lantern rising behind at the left. Low houses with market stalls and awnings crowd the foot of the building at the left, with figures standing among them. A balustraded stair leads up to the entrance at the center, small figures sit on the steps at the right, and low roofs and distant smoke show at the right.

No artist or engraver is named on the sheet. Below the caption, the imprint at the left reads Aus der Kunstanst. des Bibliogr. Inst. in Hildbghsn. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen), and at the right Eigenthum der Verleger. (property of the publishers). The plate number CLXXXIX is engraved at the top right, above the image.

The imprint is that of Meyer's Universum, a serial collection of engraved views with descriptive text, published by Joseph Meyer's Bibliographisches Institut at Hildburghausen from 1833, its plates engraved on steel. The sheet comes from a dealer's album rather than from a bound set. The cathedral of Burgos was begun in 1221.

Handling soiling along the right and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Corners and edges are not shown by this scan. Clean, even paper tone in the margin.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.