Alphonse Boilly, Ceuta from the Sea and Citadel Gate of Tangier, Morocco, 1859, Engraving

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An original antique steel engraving, uncolored, with two views of the coast of the strait of gibraltar, captioned "ceuta" and … Read more An original antique steel engraving, uncolored, with two views of the coast of the strait of gibraltar, captioned "ceuta" and "porte de la citadelle de tanger". The upper vignette looks across a choppy sea to the town of ceuta lying low along the shore beneath a range of mountains, with a steep rocky peak on the right. A two masted sailing ship heads across the water in the middle distance and a smaller sail lies further off. The lower vignette shows a horseshoe arched gateway framed by carved ornament in a ruined wall overgrown with plants, with a cannon in a window of the tower on the right. A rider in a long cloak on the left and a group of men, one leading a camel, gather before the gate, with armed guards in the shadow of the arch. The captions translate as ceuta and gate of the citadel of tangier. The publisher's line at the foot reads "publié par furne, à paris" (published by furne, in paris). At the lower left corner of the lower image the plate is signed "alp. Boilly", the signature of alphonse boilly, and at the lower right the printer's line reads "imp. Delamain, 8, r. Git-le-cœur, paris." it was issued in voyage en asie et en afrique, written by mm. Eyriès and alfred jacobs and published in paris in 1859 by furne et cie, éditeurs, 45 rue saint-andré-des-arts. The book forms part of the histoire générale des voyages of dumont d'urville, d'orbigny, eyriès and a. Jacobs, which presented the voyages and travels of the period to french readers, with plates engraved on steel and printed on separate leaves. It is a good companion to the plate of morocco and tetouan from the same book. Condition: light handling wear to the bottom left corner; edges straight and without nicks. Even age toning, soiled along the right and top edges. A few small foxing spots in the margin. Faint water stain in the upper part of the sheet. This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed. See less