The Royal Palace of Madrid, Antique View over the Manzanares, circa 1850

A view of the Royal Palace of Madrid from below its terraces, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption beneath the image reads DAS KÖNIGLICHE SCHLOSS / in Madrid, in English the royal palace in Madrid.

The long front of the palace runs along the ridge from the center to the right, with the dome of its chapel on the roofline and an arcaded building below it at the right. At the left in the distance stands a gateway and a domed church. The ground falls away in terraces, walls and arched retaining structures toward the foreground, crossed by a winding road with small figures. In the middle ground ox carts are drawn up on the open ground at the right, and a carriage passes on the road at the lower left.

The engraver's credit at the lower right reads Rosée Nbg. Below the caption, the imprint at the left reads Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibliogr. Instit. 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 CCIX 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 palace was begun in 1738 on the site of the old Alcazar, which had burned in 1734.

Loss or wear at the bottom left, top left and top right corners. A deeper irregularity along the right edge. Even age toning. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Small light flecks in the printed area, to be checked by eye.

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