Biblioteca Histórica Marqués de Valdecilla de la UCM

Engravings

The Biblioteca Historica has small but remarkable collection of engravings, both broadsheets and book-form collections, not to forget thousands from numerous illustrated books. Our library has undertaken the task of providing an appropriate description for each engraving as well as incorporating them to the CISNE data base. Search can be done both through the general catalog or through the special catalog of engravings.

Retratos de españoles ilustres con un epítome de sus vidas.
Madrid: Imprenta Real, 1791. [BH FOA 589]

Spanish engraving of the 18th century is represented by several hundreds of loose–leaf illustrations which include works by outstanding artists of the Real Calcografia like Manuel Salvador Carmona, Fernando Selma, Lopez de Enguidanos, Gomez Navia, Carnicero and others.

The 19th century engravings is also a valuable and worthy collection. It includes works by Piranesi, the ¨Desastres de la Guerra¨by Goya, museum collections, French Rococo examples and other interesting examples. The Library of Facultad de Bellas Artes preserves an important engraving collection of Japanese authors like Hokusai and other Ukiyo-e artists.

European history of engravings is fully represented in the illustrated books that the Library treasures, from the 15th century xylographies to the early 19th century lithographies. Gradually, appropriate studies and cataloging of these engravings will be done, although the different exhibitions organized by the Biblioteca Historica display a significative sample of this collection.