Charlemont. Avesnes. Landrechies. Beaumont.

Title

Charlemont. Avesnes. Landrechies. Beaumont.

Description

Four towns are depicted on a sheet: the French towns of Avesnes-sur-Helpe (Hauts-de-France), Landrecies (Hauts-de-France), Beaumont-en-Auge (Normandy) and the fortress of Charlemont (Ardennes department). Reverse are the initials and Latin descriptions of the towns, p. 26.

ca. 1585

Artist

Braun/Hogenberg (1572-1618)

Frans Hogenberg (1535 – 1590) was a Flemish and German painter, engraver, and mapmaker. Hogenberg was born in Mechelen as the son of Nicolaas Hogenberg In 1568 he was banned from Antwerp by the Duke of Alva. He travelled to London, where he stayed a few years before emigrating to Cologne. He is known for portraits and topographical views as well as historical allegories. He also produced scenes of contemporary historical events. George Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the "Civitates Orbis Terrarum". The first volume of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum was published in Cologne in 1572. The sixth and the final volume appeared in 1617. This great city atlas, edited by Georg Braun and largely engraved by Franz Hogenberg, eventually contained 546 prospects, bird-eye views and map views of cities from all over the world. Braun (1541-1622), a cleric of Cologne, was the principal editor of the work, and was greatly assisted in his project by the close, and continued interest of Abraham Ortelius, whose Theatrum Orbis Terrarum of 1570 was, as a systematic and comprehensive collection of maps of uniform style, the first true atlas.

Historical Description

Hauts-de-France is the northernmost region of France, created only in 2016 through the merger of the former regions Nord–Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. The area has a long and rich history—ranging from medieval power struggles over Flanders and Artois, to the pivotal Battle of Bouvines (1214), and the administrative reorganization during the French Revolution, which led to the division into the departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais. In the 20th century, the region became an industrial hub—dominated by mining and heavy industry—until parts of it shifted toward the service sector starting in the 1980s. Thanks to the Channel Tunnel (since 1994), along with TGV, Eurostar, and Thalys connections, the region is now a key logistical crossroads of Europe.