Linköping — Dahlbergh & Swidde

A magnificent panoramic view of Linköping, with its ancient cathedral and royal castle commanding the Östergötland plain.

After Erik Dahlbergh; engraved by Willem Swidde. From Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna. Published in Stockholm, c. 1690.

Linköping had been a cathedral city since the 12th century and was one of the seats of the medieval Folkung dynasty, while its castle remained a residence of Swedish kings well into the early modern period. Dahlbergh's plate captures the town as a continuous historical document, layering medieval, Vasa and Carolean architecture into a single sweeping vista.

Copperplate engraving. Sheet size approximately 38.0 × 52.0 cm. Excellent.