Gaspar Boutatts and members of the Peeters family were prominent figures in Antwerp’s artistic life during the 17th century, creating numerous significant city engravings of various European settlements.
Gaspar Boutatts Active in the second half of the 17th century, Gaspar Boutatts was a significant representative of the Antwerp school of engraving. His engravings of Hungarian castles and cities are particularly important in his work, serving as vital visual documents of the Ottoman occupation period. His engravings frequently appeared in contemporary newspapers and books, informing European audiences about the events of the wars against the Turks.
The Peeters Family Several members of the Peeters family were involved in engraving:
- Jacob Peeters (1637-1695) was especially known for his cityscapes and battle scenes
- Johannes Peeters mainly depicted naval battles and port cities
- Bonaventura Peeters (1614-1652) was famous for his maritime-themed engravings
Eastern Themed Engravings The Peeters family paid special attention to depicting Eastern cities and fortifications. Their engravings of distant lands are particularly valuable, although many were based on accounts from travelers, merchants, and diplomats rather than personal experience.
Middle Eastern Engravings:
- Detailed depictions of major Ottoman Empire cities
- Special attention to port cities like Alexandria and Constantinople
- Sacred places like Jerusalem and Mecca appeared in their works
- Focused on accurate documentation of fortifications and defense systems
Far Eastern Depictions:
- Chinese port cities, especially Canton and Macau
- Images of Japanese trading centers
- Detailed depictions of Dutch trading posts (factories)
- Engravings of Indian cities and fortifications
Significance of Their Work The value of Boutatts and Peeters family engravings lies in their:
- Detailed representation of contemporary urban architecture
- Documentation of castles and fortifications during the Turkish wars
- Insights into 17th-century daily life
- Source material for Hungarian castles and cities
- First visual information about distant places for European audiences
- Influence on European perceptions of the East
- Documentation of early European-Eastern trade relations
These engravings are now important historical sources, helping to reconstruct period cityscapes and architecture. Their works can be found in numerous European museum and library collections.
The eastern-themed engravings are unique in how they often combined real observations with European imagination, providing distinctive insights into how 17th-century Europeans viewed distant cultures.
