Description

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Willem Swidde (ca. 1660 in Amsterdam – 1697 in Stockholm) was a Dutch draftsman and engraver. Between 1683 and 1684 Willem Swidde produced a number of prints of the castle and gardens of Versailles for the publisher De Lespine. It is highly questionable whether Swidde produced original work here. The prints show a great similarity to a similar series of prints by the French engraver Nicolas Perelle that was previously published in Paris. He was recruited by Erik Dahlbergh to come to Sweden to work illustrating topographical and historical books. He came to Stockholm in 1688. His first assignment was to make illustrations for a history of Charles X Gustavus of Sweden, De Rebus a Carlo Gustavo Sveciae Regis, written by Samuel Pufendorf. Swidde made 18 of the 123 plates for the book. His next, most important and last assignment, which occupied him for the rest of his life, was the engraving of the illustrations for the grandly projected book Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna, a topographical work in the tradition of Matthäus Merian, intended to glorify Sweden. Swidde was part of a team of engravers and made 76 plates of the book. He worked from drawings by Dahlbergh, often correcting and improving the motifs in collaboration with Dahlbergh. He died in Stockholm in 1697.

L’Espine, Jacques le Moine de, Born …….- died 1696. His name is spelled in different ways and occurs as L.M. de L’Espine and de Lespine. The first known reference to de L’espine is on 8-4-1682 when he is mentioned as a small porter and as a merchant, according to the list of 1688 as a member of the St. Luke’s Guild. The first name is mentioned in a deed of notary Gaspar Ypelaer in Amsterdam, 13 October 1690. In the membership book of the Walekerk in Amsterdam one finds November 26, 1679 ‘Jacques lemoine de l’espine et sa femme Margriet Nampon’ from Vitré. (Ille et Vilaine, France). In a deed by Notary J. van den Ende in Amsterdam 23 Mar. 1680 he is called ‘merchant’. In a patent act of the States of Holland and Westfriesland on September 19, 1684, he is referred to as an ‘art and ticket seller’ in Amsterdam. In the Print Room in Amsterdam, among several prints published by him, there is one from 1682. The aforementioned patent act of 19 September 1684 shows that he had had ‘curious’ plates cut of the had the royal houses of Versailles, Fontainebleau, St. Germain and St. Clou, and many other plates cut to compile a large work over time. He now applied for a patent for printing those prints, to be protected from competition. In a deed by notary L. Meyer in Amsterdam 14 Febr. In 1691 he sold one hundred and nine copper art plates and also the aforementioned patent. For himself and his heirs he reserves the right to make, publish and sell all ‘curious’ prints outside the mentioned royal houses. He was buried on May 7, 1696 at the Leiden cemetery in Amsterdam; he then lived in Kerkstraat between Vijzelstraat and Spiegelstraat.