Franeker lies in the province of Friesland, Holland.
Bast, a very skilful engraver active at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries, was born in Antwerp, but seems to have worked for most of his career in Leiden. He specialised chiefly in producing views and plans of various Dutch towns, a number of which are known to have been commissioned by the town councils. Impressions by this artist are rare.