View of the City of Prague

Art Historical Context

Created in 1606, *View of the City of Prague* is a large-scale etching produced through the collaboration of Johannes Wechter, Philip van den Bossche, and Aegidius Sadeler II. Measuring nearly two feet high and spanning over three feet wide per plate, the work offers an expansive panoramic perspective of the Bohemian capital. As an etching, it allowed for fine detail and wide distribution, making it an accessible yet impressive record of the city’s skyline, bridges, and architectural landmarks during the early seventeenth century. This print emerged during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II, when Prague served as a vibrant center of art, science, and culture under Habsburg patronage. Sadeler, a Flemish engraver active at the imperial court, brought his expertise in detailed landscape and architectural rendering to the project. Such panoramic city views were prized not only as works of art but also as documents of urban identity, capturing Prague’s distinctive topography along the Vltava River at a moment of political and artistic flourishing. Today housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of prints, the etching exemplifies the period’s growing interest in topography and the reproductive power of printmaking. Its impressive scale and collaborative nature highlight how artists and publishers worked together to celebrate and preserve the image of a great European capital for both contemporary viewers and future generations.

About the Artist

Johannes Wechter|Philip van den Bossche|Aegidius Sadeler II (German|Netherlandish|Netherlandish) · 1550 |1604 |1568 –1606 |1615 |1629

German, Nuremberg ca. 1550–after 1606 Eichstatt, Bavaria|Netherlandish, active ca. 1604–15|Netherlandish, Antwerp 1568–1629 Prague