Anthonie Waterloo (Lille 1609-1662 Utrecht)

This double sided drawing belongs to a series of some thirty views of Hamburg and its surroundings of similar format and technique made during Waterloo’s journey to Northern Germany in circa 1660, when he also visited Kiel and Danzig. In all some fifty drawings from this journey are known, mostly published by W. and L. Stubbe in 1983 (op. cit.).

The drawing on the recto shows the Winsertor complex on the Messberg in Hamburg, probably showing the Winsertor itself far right. This military complex was located just south-east of the city and was in a ruinous state when Waterloo made the present drawing. The Winsertor stood until the 19th Century and was used as a prison and a storage room for grain. The drawing on the verso shows the 'Altstadt' (Old town) of Hamburg and its surrounding city walls.