Carte du Gouvernement Civil de L’Espagne et de tous les Conseils Souverains

This finely detailed print highlights the complex bureaucracy of the Spanish Empire under King Philip V (though many of the mechanisms persist today). Over a dozen different scenes showcase the different government councils, dealing with a variety of topics including war, the Crusades, the Inquisition, overseas colonies, and finances. In the center is the Council of State, an advisory body largely stripped of its powers by Philip as part of his attempts to centralize power. The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers of a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.