MERIAN, Matthäus (1593-1650)

[Bird's eye view plan of Venice from Gottfried's 'Neuwe Archontologia Cosmica']

Frankfurt: Matthäus Merian, 1638. Copper engraving, printed on paper from two plates, joined. Sheet size: 12 1/2 x 28 3/8 inches.

An early, finely detailed printing of Merian's engraving of Venice based on the 16th century wood carving by Barbari presenting the city as both an urban marvel and a maritime republic.

Merians birds-eye view presents Venice from the south, with the islands of the lagoon forming a broad foreground with the rest of the city rising beyond. The Piazza San Marco, the Doges Palace, the Rialto, the Grand Canal, the Arsenal, churches, quays, bridges, and canals are all rendered in close engraved detail. The water is crowded with merchant ships, gondolas, galleys, and smaller boats, giving the lagoon the same importance as the city itself. The Venetian emblem at the upper right bears the winged lion of St Mark, the emblem of the Venetian Republic. Its placement reinforces the political and maritime identity of Venice, while the distant mainland and surrounding islands place the city within the wider geography of the Adriatic. Matthäus Merian the Elder, a Swiss-born engraver and publisher, was among the most accomplished visual chroniclers of early Baroque Europe. Based in Frankfurt, Merian built a publishing empire that produced maps, illustrated histories, and city views renowned for their clarity and artistic merit.

Item #41341

Price: $1,200.00