COURTYARD OF HEIDLEBERG Artist: H. Bibby ____________ Engraver: H. Bibby |
VERY OLD WORLD! INCREDIBLE DETAIL!
FROM THE ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION: Accordingly, we here quit the river, and proceed by rail to Heidelberg, an old and cheerful-looking town, charmingly situated on the left bank of the river Necker, on a somewhat contracted space between the castle-rock and the stream. It contains a university, museums, the church of St. Peter, gardens, and several interesting memorials of the Middle Ages. The university is one of the oldest in Germany. The library is very large, and once contained a portion of the Palatine library of the pope, which was carried off by the Bavarians in the Thirty Years' War. It was returned to the Vatican; but, as a trophy of the success of the Catholic cause, was restored to Heidelberg by Pope Pius VII., in 1815. The church of St. Peter is the oldest in the town. It is remarkable as being that to the door of which Jerome of Prague, the companion of Huss, affixed his theses, which he. maintained, while, at the same time, he expounded the doctrines of the Reformation to a multitude of hearers assembled in the adjoining churchyard. The castle is the most celebrated object in Heidelberg, and is remarkable for its magnificence and extent. It was the ancient residence of the Electors Palatine, and unites the splendour of a palace with the strength of a fortress. Its noble ruins are among the most interesting objects in Europe and in one of its cellars is still to be seen the celebrated. "Tun of Heidelberg," the largest wine-cask in the world. It was made in 1751, and holds 800 hogsheads. Large as this is, however, we understand that some of the porter vats of London brewers are of greater capacity.
The best general view of the fortress is obtained from the extremity of the terrace, raised upon arches, and projecting over the Necker. The building, however, is so grand an object, and the surrounding country so exceedingly beautiful, that the stranger should make it a point to see it in all positions. About fifty yards above the bridge, on the right bank, is a solitary inn where the students were wont to settle their disputes, but which has no other interest beyond this circumstance. The Konigstuhl, the highest hill in the district, lies behind the tower and castle. The summit may be reached in one or one and a-half hour's walk, or in a carriage, and the view from it is the most extensive in the neighbourhood. A lofty tower has been erected, for the convenience of visitors, who often repair hither to see the sun rise, and, if possible, to extend the limits of the panorama, which includes the valleys of the Rhine and Necker, the Odenwald, Haardt mountains on the west, the Taunus on the north-west, the ridge of the Black Forest on the south, with the castle of Ebersteinberg, near Baden, and the spire of Strasburg Minster, ninety miles off. Tilly bombarded the town from this hill, after his attack from the right bank had failed: remains of the trenches are still visible. The walls and views in the neighbourhood are very fine. A road, overlooking the Necker, runs from the castle along the shoulder of the hill to the Wolf's Brunnen, an agreeable walk of two miles. It is a pretty retired nook, named from a spring it possesses. There is a small inn close to it, famed for its beer and trout, winch are kept in great numbers, and fed in ponds and tanks: many of them attain a large size. Here, according to tradition, the enchantress Jetta, who lived on the spot, and first foretold the greatness of the house of the Palatinate, was torn in pieces by a wolf.- Quitting Heidelberg by rail, and passing Bruchsal, we proceed to Rastadt, and diverging to Baden-Baden, return home by rail from Strasburg.
Please note: the terms used in our auctions for engraving, heliogravure, lithograph, print, plate, photogravure etc. are ALL prints on paper, NOT blocks of steel or wood. "ENGRAVINGS", the term commonly used for these paper prints, were the most common method in the 1700s and 1800s for illustrating old books, and these paper prints or "engravings" were inserted into the book with a tissue guard frontis, usually on much thicker quality rag stock paper, although many were also printed and issued as loose stand alone prints. So this auction is for an antique paper print(s), probably from an old book, of very high quality and usually on very thick rag stock paper.