MALDZIS Returns Rare 17th-Century Engraving Of Brest. It Will Be On Display In Warsaw In September

The MALDZIS initiative acquired an engraving “The City and Castle of Brest-Litovsk” (original title “Urbs et Castellum Brestzie Litewski”), published in Nuremberg in 1696. It is the only detailed depiction of old Brest, which was completely destroyed in the 19th century by the authorities of the Russian Empire to make way for the construction of the Brest Fortress.

“This engraving is a rare window into the history of 17th-century Brest. The city, which no longer exists, is shown as it was remembered by participants in historical events — with fortifications, buildings and churches that have disappeared forever. Such visual evidence allows Belarusians to imagine anew the history of Belarusian lands before they became part of the Russian Empire,” said MALDZIS initiative head Pavel Matsukevich, speaking about the acquired work.

The work was purchased at an auction in Poland with funds provided by Darya Slizh and will eventually be donated to the Museum of the History of Brest as a public gift.

The engraving was made using the copperplate technique. The work is in color, with hand-painted elements, and measures 35 by 49.5 cm. In the foreground is a panorama of a Swedish-Hungarian-Cossack army near the city walls; in the center are a panorama and plan of Brest showing its fortifications, castle, churches and synagogue.

The author of the engraving was Swedish military engineer, architect and artist Erik Jönsson Dahlbergh.

What Event Is Depicted In The Work?

The engraving was published in a book by Swedish Baron Samuel von Pufendorf, “De rebus a Carolo Gustavo Sueciae rege gestis,” devoted to the Second Northern War of 1655–1660, known as the Deluge. The publication contains 115 copperplate engravings, based primarily on drawings by Erik Jönsson Dahlbergh (1625–1703). Brest is the only populated place within the present-day borders of Belarus to appear in the series.

The engraving depicts the siege of Brest in May 1657. The city was besieged by the Swedish forces of Charles X Gustav, together with Hungarians and Zaporozhian Cossacks led by Prince Rákóczi. After three days of artillery bombardment, the garrison surrendered the city. Two weeks later, the Swedish army left the city, handing it over to the Hungarians.

At the center of the engraving is a panorama of Brest from the north: the castle, churches, synagogue, fortifications and the Lozki suburb. Below, a clash between Lithuanian dragoons and enemy cavalry is depicted. In the lower right corner are nine senior figures from the enemy forces, including Swedish King Charles X Gustav and Prince of Transylvania George II Rákóczi. Above the lower cartouche is the artist himself, Erik Dahlbergh, depicted as a rider. The artist immortalized himself as a participant in those events.

According to Brest local historian and historian Anatol Nikitchyk (articles “E. J. Dahlbergh’s Brest Crossword” and “Brest, May 1657. Swedish Efforts and Transylvanian Despair”), Dahlbergh created the engraving in 1691–1696 based on earlier sketches and recollections. It is considered one of the finest examples of European Baroque urban landscape art in the Belarusian lands.

Dahlbergh’s engravings in good condition and with applied colors are rare. For Belarus, this work is even more valuable because it helps visualize history and strengthens national historical memory. The engraving provides an opportunity to see what Brest looked like more than 360 years ago.

The engraving will also be available to view and visitors will be able to learn interesting facts about it as part of the “MALDZIS Art Café” in Warsaw in September, the initiative said.