The Strait of Gibraltar, Antique Coastal View with Shipping, circa 1850

A coastal view on the Strait of Gibraltar, an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, circa 1850. The caption beneath the image reads DIE MEERENGE VON GIBRALTAR, in English the Strait of Gibraltar.

A high cliff runs along the right of the plate and falls steeply to a curving beach, where a cluster of white buildings stands at its foot and small figures work at the water's edge. The sea opens away to the left, with small sailing boats close inshore and larger ships under sail toward a distant coastline. Large boulders lie in the water in the left foreground, and rocks overgrown with flowering scrub fill the right foreground.

The artist's credit at the lower left reads C. Reiss del. (drawn by C. Reiss). Below the caption, the imprint at the left reads Aus d. Kunstanst. d. Bibl. Inst. in Hildbh. (from the art works of the Bibliographisches Institut in Hildburghausen), and at the right Eigenthum der Verleger (property of the publishers). The plate number CCCCLXVIII 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 strait links the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa.

Handling soiling along the bottom, left 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.