Genealogy of the Spanish Kings, 1721

Ancient and detailed engraving in black ink on white paper that depicts the genealogy of the kings of Castile, Navarra, Portugal, Aragon and Grenade. The engraving was printed in 1721 and comes from France. This family tree shows the history of each lineage until this beautiful engraving was made and is illustrated with a map of the Iberian Peninsula and different coats of arms. The tree is harmoniously designed and has been outlined in a very balanced way so the different volumes match perfectly into the white background. So as well as being a highly interesting historic document, this engraving is also a beautiful work of art. The engraving is quite long and is composed of two pages with a fold at each side. These folding pieces can be open to show all the trees branches. In the middle we can see the trees base and a vertical pole that grows on it, holding a series of cartouches with the name of the muslim kings of Grenade. On both sides of the trunk are printed the coats of arms of the kingdoms that were part of Spain in those times. From under the trees base, four branches grow and expand; each one corresponds to the different lineages of kings. Castile and Portugal are depicted in the left page, and Aragon and Navarra, in the right page. The bottom central part of each page is adorned with the coats of arms of other Spanish regions. To the left we can see the ones of Asturias, Biscay and Catalonia, while to the right rest the coats of arms of the Algarve, Andalusia and Galicia. The white paper is completely covered of cartouches with French names and texts, so we can track the history of the royal families through several generations. The branches that connect the cartouches and let us follow the lineages in order are beautifully drawn, with a realistic shadow that enhances them. This striking family tree is a very ancient document, a hundred per cent original, full of nobleness and historic interest. Measurements: Width: 40.35 in/102.5 cm. Height: 17.2 in/43.7 cm.