Landau

Article description

Original Copperplate Engraving by Matthias Merian, depicting Landau. Published Frankfurt Main, Matthäus Merian, 1644. Sheet: 21 x 33,5 cm (8.25 x 13,25 inches).. A fine and example of Merian's celebrated cartographic work, documenting this region of Germany with the precision and decorative artistry characteristic of the 16400s. Matthaus Merian the Elder (1593-1650) was a Swiss-born engraver and publisher who settled in Frankfurt, where he ran one of the most important printing houses in 17th-century Germany. His greatest work, the Topographia Germaniae (21 volumes, 1642-1654), contained more than 2,000 individual engravings of German cities, towns, fortifications, and landscapes -- the first true visual guidebook to Germany. His views combine scientific topographic accuracy with a theatrical Baroque aesthetic, making them among the most desirable of all 17th-century topographic prints. Merian's work is held in major collections including the Stadel Museum Frankfurt, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nuremberg, and the British Library. This original copperplate engraving depicts the region of Landau, published in Frankfurt Main, Matthäus Merian, 1644. The map records the political and geographic boundaries of the region as understood in 1644, offering a fascinating window into the history of German territorial organization. Sheet measures 21 x 33,5 cm (8.25 x 13,25 inches).. In good condition overall, with minor signs of age appropriate for a 17th-century engraving. Ready to frame.

Landau - Matthias Merian ∑ Original Copperplate Engraving ∑ Frankfurt Main 1644