1125 - Braun and Hogenberg, Goa, bird's-eye view from "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", Cologne, 16th/17th c.

Braun and Hogenberg, Goa, bird's-eye view from "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", Cologne, 16th/17th c. (Georg Braun 1541–1622, Frans Hogenberg 1535–1590), coloured copper engraving/paper, inscribed upper right "Cum Priuilegio", titled at the top centre "GOA fortissima Indiæ vrbs in Christianorum potestatem anno Salutis 1509 deuenit", from "Civitates Orbis Terrarum", volume I, Cologne, 1572 ff., bird's-eye view of the walled city of Goa on a peninsula between stretches of water, upper left a castle on a hill, in the water a small island with tower, on the right a further settlement and a fort on a headland, sailing ships on the water, coloured in flat washes, centre fold, good condition commensurate with age, slightly browned and stained, image 14x47 cm (HxW), passe-partout, framed, frame chipped, overall 25x58 cm (HxW). The "Civitates Orbis Terrarum" by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg appeared in Cologne in six volumes between 1572 and 1617 and bring together 546 town views, bird's-eye views and plans from all over the world, in Latin and German editions. The view of Goa belongs to the first volume of 1572 and appeared there on one sheet together with Anfa (Casablanca), Azamor and Diu; it goes back to a Portuguese model and is regarded as one of the earliest depictions of the city. Afonso de Albuquerque occupied Goa in February 1510 and finally took it for Portugal on 25 November 1510. From 1530 the city on the Mandovi was the seat of the viceroy and until 1961 the capital of Portuguese India, the Estado da Índia. The forts of Pangim and Benastarim on the island of Goa were scenes of this conquest; as the seat of administration Goa became the centre of Portuguese trade on the Asian sea routes.