16th Century Watercolor Engraving: Marly's Machine By Nicolas De Fer

The Marly machine is a technical feat of engineering of the great century. It attempts, and unfortunately will not be of the hoped-for performance, to raise the waters of the Seine, to supply the fountains and water games of Versailles. It is built between 1681 and 1682 under the direction of Arnaud de Ville, will be helped by the engineers the Sualem brothers, who already have experience in the matter. It will be visited by all the celebrities of Europe in the XVIII century, astonished by its din Nicolas de Fer (1647 - 1720), the author of this engraving, is a famous geographer who runs an atlas and map shop under the name of the Sphère Royale in Paris. He specializes in particular in the diffusion of the work of Vauban, and in maps of the colonies of America. His work will be continued by his sons, as he himself had taken over the family shop by developing it. It is in excellent condition, presented in a modern frame, and enhanced with a passe-partout made with a ruler and watercolor. Dimensions on view: 24 cm x 36 cm