Pieter van der Aa / Álvarez de Colmenar

Antique prints by Pieter van der Aa

Pieter van der Aa (1659–1733) was a prolific Leiden publisher and engraver whose Les Délices de l'Espagne, issued around 1707–1715 under the name Álvarez de Colmenar, illustrated Spanish cities and monuments for an international audience. This is the largest single series in our stock, with views such as San Sebastián, Antequera, the Alhambra and the royal palace at El Pardo, dated 1707 to 1722.

The series is a favourite among collectors of Spanish topography and local historians tracing a town's early printed image. Every engraving is an original period impression, with a technical description and exact measurements.