Original washed pen and ink drawing showing a view across the Leidschevaart waterway toward the western city gate of Utrecht, the Catharijnepoort, by Cornelis Pronk (1691-1759). This gate was designed by Paulus Moreelse in 1621, and was the most important western city gate, where the road from The Hague entered the city. It was demolished in the 19th century. The viewpoint of this drawing is situated on the tow path along the Leidschevaart near the second Moesgracht. Visible in the background are from left to right: the St. Jobsgasthuis on the Vleutenseweg, the mill "De Meiboom" on the Paardenveld and the tower of the Jacobikerk.
Pronks drawings were often copied and many prints were engraved after his work, especially by Hendrik Spilman and Caspar Philips. These engraved views were published by Isaak Tirion in Amsterdam, for example in Spilmans 'T verheerlykt Nederland (Amsterdam, 1745) and the Utrecht volume (XI) of Tegenwoordige staat der Nederlanden. An anonymous copy of the present Pronk drawing was published in C.C.S. Wilmer's book on drawings of Utrecht.
Very fine drawing in good condition. Cf. C.C.S. Wilmer, De getekende stad (2005), 479 (p. 399); Wurzbach II, p. 363; Thieme-Becker 27, pp. 421-422.