This collection of maps and plans of fortifications is also known under the title ‘Recueil des cartes des provinces meridionales des Pays Bas et des frontiers de la France. The first 24 maps form together a topographical maps of the Southern Netherlands, scale 1:115.000. Most of the plates were engraved by Jacob Harrewijn. These maps were based on military maps by French engineers and show an accurate representation of the topography. The importance of the map of the Spanish Netherlands is demonstrated by the fact that the 24 sheets were copied in Paris, Augsburg, and Amsterdam. The maps were also published separately.

“The bookseller and printer, Eugéne Henri Fricx, was one of the most important map publishers of the Southern Netherlands in the 18^th century. He lived in Brussels where he had his shop on Rue de la Madeleine. His activities in the field started in 1706 with the production of military plans of battles and sieges of the War of Succession. In the same year,he also stated the publication of the map of the Southern Netherlands in 24 sheets; it was finished in 1712, apart from the sheet Luxemborg, which was engraved in 1727. He employed Jean Harrewijn of Brussels as an engraver and Cornelis Marke of Middelburg as a contractor for the ‘enluminators’. Although he had children, his business was not continued after his death (about 1740). His map of the Southern Netherlands was copied by Covens & Mortier and sold until ca. 1780, when it was replaced by Ferraris’ Map of the Austrian Netherlands.” (Koeman II, Fri1)

Koeman II, Fri1