Description of Denmark

Towns and agricultural landscapes

Den Danske Atlas eller Konge-Riget Dannemark ... Lands-Beskrivelse
was issued in 7 volumes during the period 1763-81. The work was started by Erich Pontoppidan (1698-1764) and finished by Hans de Hofman (1763-93).
Danske Atlas is the first set of books giving a  complete historical-topographical description of the Danish realm at that time - locality by locality - prepared on the basis of local informants, and richly illustrated.
The towns are described using ground-plans and prospects in copper engravings after originals of various artists. The  town prospects are presented with the agricultural landscape in the
foreground, as it looked at that time. Charming scenaries of farm life with domestic animals, herdsmen, harvesters, etc. - a culture-historical  reflection of agriculture and landscape of the time.

Some illustrations from the work:

Johan Jacob Bruun (1715-89), miniature and prospect painter, issued the incomplete topographical work Novus Atlas Danicus
(1761-64). Bruun had to give up his ambition to illustrate a complete
picture atlas of Danish towns. From 1763 Pontoppidan's Danske Atlas was
the set of books, which received the financial support crucial for
publication. But some of Bruun's illustrations are included in this
work, since most of the prospects from Zealand found in Danske Atlas are
engravings after his drawings. The quality is, however, poorer than
Bruun's own publications, where his meticulous style can be fully
appreciated, as can be seen in the illustrations of a set of books with
towns in Fynen and Zealand: Danmarks Kjøbstæder i 24 Kobbere...: