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Rare Stefano Scolari Battle View of Pignon Velez de Gomera, Based upon a Painting By Antoon van den Wijngaerde​

Rare Lafreri school view of the battle of Pignon de Velez de Gomera, showing a siege by the Spanish, Italian, and German troops, with Spanish, Portuguese, and Maltese ships and galleys.

The view depicts a siege led by the Spanish to retake the Pignon de Velez between August 1564 and September 6, 1564.

Pignon de Velez was a fortified island on the Moroccan coast, and a very strong position, situated opposite the mouths of the Gomera River. The name Gomera, according to J.A. Conde, was derived from the celebrated Arab tribe of the Gomeres, who flourished in Africa and Spain until the last Moorish kings of Granada. The fortification was conquered by Spain in 1508, by the condottiero Pedro Navarro, but by 1554 it had fallen into the hands of Muslim pirates, who conducted raids and trading for the next 10 years. In 1564, King Philip II organized a large fleet of 93 galleys and 60 other boats, captained by Garcia de Toledo who succeeded in reconquering the Pignon de Velez. The battle greatly benefited the security of navigation in the western Mediterranean, thus making the navigation of the Spanish merchant fleets more secure.

Immediately after the victory, the King commissioned two exceptional drawings of the event to the famous painter Antoon van den Wijngaerde, which became the primary models of reference for numerous engravings and drawings: the first shows a perspective view from one of the hills surrounding El Pignon; the promontory appears at the center of the image, while in the background the Spanish fleet is visible. The second drawing shows in the foreground the galleys and slings used for the operation, with the promontory in the background. Zenoi & Camocio's engraving is one of the earliest images to follow the first of Wijngaerde's illustrations.

The present edition is a rare late edition by Stefano Scolari. Originally published as a collaboration between Zenoi and Camocio

The full title of the map is:

Il vero & natural sito della villa di Velez de Gomera, & l'inespugnabile forte et castello chiamato il Pignon, situato in Africa di Babaria, a l'incontro d'Ispagna, nel qual luogo solevano li Mori, et Corsari di mare, far la spia per poter robar & prender navilij de mercanti; ora è preso per il Re Catolico Filippo Re di Spagna et c: Sua Maestà assignò la sua armata navale in Malaga , a D. Gartia de Toledo, nella quale si trovorno 2. Gallere di Malta, 10. di Sicilia, 11. di Napoli, 8. di Firenze, 6. del S.or Marc Ant o Colonna, 12 del S.or Gio. Andrea, 4 del S.or Marco Centurione, 3. di Savoia, 22. di Spagna, 8. di Portogallo. Un'urna grossa di 3 milla salme, con Capitani et Gentil'huomini, che qui sotto sera[n]no nominati alli lochi loro; & essendo l'armata guarnita di bona provisione navigoò verso Barbaria, con 120 velle, et gionse ad Alcala, la qual è 3 leghe lontana dal Pignon: fu sbarcato una parte di essa, et l'altra navigò verso il Pignon, et circondandolo da tutte le parti, a forza d'artiglieria lo prese, et a messo in detto Pignon, una guardia de soldati Spagnoli. La qual vittoria è stata di grande importanza per la navigatio[n] d'Italia et Spagna.

Translation: The true & natural site of the villa of Velez de Gomera, & the impregnable fort and castle called the Pignon, located in Babaria Africa, across from Spain, in which place they used to have Moors and Corsairs of the sea, for spying, piracy and naval trading. Now it has been taken for the Catholic King Philip of Spain etc: His Majesty assigned his naval army in Malaga, to D. Gartia de Toledo, in which we find 2. Galleys of Malta, 10. of Sicily, 11. of Naples , 8. of Florence, 6. of S.or Marc Ant o Colonna, 12 of S.or Gio. Andrea, 4 of S.or Marco Centurione, 3. of Savoia, 22. of Spain, 8. of Portugal. A large force of three thousand men, with Captains and Gentlemen in service, no names have been assigned to them; & being the garrison garnered of good provisions sailed to Barbaria, with 120 velle, and passed to Alcala, which is 3 leagues far from the Pignon: a part of the force was disembarked, and the other sailed towards the Pignon, and surrounded it on all sides, and using the force of artillery, took the place, and put it under the control of a guard of Spanish soldiers. The victory was of great importance for the navigation of Italy and Spain.

Rarity

Both states are quite rare. Stefano Bifolco locates only 1 other example of this second state in a private collection.