Coimbra in Portugal, Antique River View with the University Hill, circa 1850

A view of the city of Coimbra across the Mondego river, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption beneath the image reads COIMBRA IN PORTUGAL, in English Coimbra in Portugal.

The city climbs its hill at the left, its buildings crowned by a tower and long ranges on the crest, with cypresses and trees at its foot. The river opens broad and calm across the plate, with a sailing boat at the right of center and a long bridge in the distance beyond it. Two riders on laden animals ford the shallows at the center, a large weeping willow leans over the water at the right, and in the left foreground pottery jars, pitchers and baskets stand on the near bank with a seated figure under a parasol behind them.

No artist or engraver is named on the sheet. Below the caption, the imprint at the left reads Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Inst. in Hildbh. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen), and at the right Eigenthum d. Verleger (property of the publishers). The plate number CCCXXXIV 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 university settled permanently at Coimbra in 1537.

Handling soiling along the bottom 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.