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Description

A fine full color view of Acapulco from Schenk's Hectomopolis, one the the great late 17th Century birds eye view books and the first to provide a comprehensive treatment of important cities in the New World. By 1700, Acapulco was a significant Spanish port in the Manilla trade and the base of many important merchant operations. The view illustrates Spanish and local inhabitants in the foreground, overlooking fortifications on a hill perched above the bay and the city and harbor spreading out on either side, with ships at anchor and on the horizon. One of the most decorative of all 17th Century views of Acapulco. Schenk's views rarely appear on the market. Only one appearance in a dealer catalogue in the past 20 years.

Peter Schenk Biography

Peter Schenk the Elder (1660-1711) moved to Amsterdam in 1675 and began to learn the art of mezzotint. In 1694 he bought some of the copperplate stock of the mapmaker Johannes Janssonius, which allowed him to specialize in the engraving and printing of maps and prints. He split his time between his Amsterdam shop and Leipzig and also sold a considerable volume of materials to London.

Peter Schenk the Elder had three sons. Peter the Younger carried on his father’s business in Leipzig while the other two, Leonard and Jan, worked in Amsterdam. Leonard engraved several maps and also carried on his father’s relationship with engraving plates for the Amsterdam edition of the Histoire de l'Académie Royale des Sciences.