Rotterdam; M. Merian de oudere – Rotterdam. – 1638

Description

Met stadswapen in decoratieve cartouche. Legenda en nummering 1-20.

Details

• Type: carthografische prent
• Volledige titel: Rotterdam.
• Techniek: kopergravure met oudtijdse inkleuring
• Carthograaf: Mathias Merian de oudere
• Datum: 1638
• Gepubliceerd: in Johann Ludwig Gottfried’s ‘Newe Archontologia Cosmica’ door Matthias Merian te Frankfurt
• Afmeting prent:  28,3 x 35,7 cm.
• Afmeting papier: 31,0 x 36,5 cm.
• Verso: blank
• ID: 1110 O
• Bron: Fauser: 12104

Condition: B

Goed, gegeven de leeftijd. Met middenvouw als uitgegeven, korte marges aan de zijkanten en drukkersvouw in het linker bovendeel. Kleuring geeft wat doorslag. Scheurtje linksboven loopt iets door in het beeld, zonder beeldverlies verstevigd aan het verso,

Achtergronden

Matthias Merian the elder (1593 – 1650)

Matthäus Merian der Ältere was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house. In 1617, Merian married Maria Magdalena de Bry, daughter of the publisher, and was for a time associated with the de Bry publishing house. In 1620, when Oppenheim was destroyed by fire during the Spanish occupation, they moved back to Basel, but three years later returned to Germany, this time to Frankfurt. They had four daughters and three sons, including Matthäus Merian the Younger. Maria Magdalena de Bry died in 1645 and the following year Matthäus married Johanna Sibylla Heim. Five years later, Matthäus died, leaving his wife with two small children, Anna Maria Sibylla Merian (born 1647), who later became a pioneering naturalist and illustrator, and a son, Maximilian, who died before his third birthday.

In 1623 Merian took over the publishing house of his father-in-law after de Bry’s death. In 1626 he became a citizen of Frankfurt and could henceforth work as an independent publisher. He spent most of his working life in Frankfurt.

Early in his life, he had created detailed town plans in his unique style, e.g. a plan of Basel (1615) and a plan of Paris (1615). With Martin Zeiler (1589–1661), a German geographer, and later (circa 1640) with his own son, Matthäus Merian (der Jüngere, i.e. “the Younger” or “Jr.”) (1621–1687), he produced a series of Topographia. The 21-volume set was collectively known as the Topographia Germaniae. It includes numerous town plans and views, as well as maps of most countries and a World Map—it was such a popular work that it was re-issued in many editions. After Merian’s death, his sons Matthäus Jr. and Caspar took over the publishing house. They continued publishing the Topographia Germaniae and the Theatrum Europaeum under the name Merian Erben (i.e. Merian Heirs).