Gravenwerd (Grafenwöhr)

Article description

Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving by Matthäus Merian, depicting Gravenwerd (Grafenwöhr). Published Frankfurt, Matthaeus Merian, 1644. Sheet: 176 by 96mm (7 by 3 inches).. A fine and original hand-colored 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, with original hand coloring depicts the region of Gravenwerd (Grafenwöhr), published in Frankfurt, Matthaeus 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 176 by 96mm (7 by 3 inches).. In good condition overall, with minor signs of age appropriate for a 17th-century engraving. Ready to frame.

Gravenwerd (Grafenwöhr) - Matthäus Merian ∑ Hand-Colored Original Copperplate Engraving ∑ Frankfurt 1644