Roma

Reference: S40340
Author Matthaus MERIAN "il vecchio"
Year: 1640
Zone: Rome
Measures: 695 x 300 mm
Not Available

Reference: S40340
Author Matthaus MERIAN "il vecchio"
Year: 1640
Zone: Rome
Measures: 695 x 300 mm
Not Available

Description

Map of Rome, engraved and published by Merian. It was first issued in the Itinerario Italie of Martin Zeiller.

The map is a reduction of the big map realized by Antonio Tempesta in 1593.

"Contained not only in the 1640 work of Martin Zeiler but also in the work of Werdenhaen, De Rebus publicis Hanseaticis, pl. 173 - Frankfurt 1641. It is certainly the best known and most widespread reduction of the map of Antonio Tempesta. It does not present any update with respect to the its prototype and therefore depicts the city in the year 1593, although it was engraved over half a century later. A curious correction with respect to Tempesta concerns the Pyramid, which he erroneously depicted inside the walls, is instead drawn here more correctly astride themselves "(see Marigliani p. 175).

Engraving printed on two sheets, joined up vertically, with fine later hand colour, in very good condition.

Magnificent example of one of the most beautiful and highly decorative representations of the city.

Bibliografia

A. P. Frutaz, "Le piante di Roma", CXXXV, tav. 275; Hulsen 88, Scaccia Scarafoni 186; C. Marigliani, "Le Piante di Roma delle collezioni private", tav. 76.

Matthaus MERIAN "il vecchio" (Basilea 1593 - Bad Schwalbach 1650)

Known for his mature work as a topographical printmaker based in Germany, Matthaeus Merian spent half a dozen of his early years in Lorraine and Paris (1610-15). He had learned to etch in Basel by 1609, the date on an etching copied from an old view of that city, and had studied etching and glass painting in Zurich in 1610. He was taken to Nancy as the assistant to etcher Friedrich Brentel. In 1610-11 they produced the series of large etchings that documented the funeral of Duke Charles III of Lorraine. In Nancy, Merian came into contact with Jacques Bellange, some of whose etchings he was to copy a few years later. Merian continued on to Paris where he worked productively from 1612-15. He learned by copying works by such French engravers as the portraitists Leonard Gaultier and Thomas de Leu, and the architect Claude Chastillon. He etched portraits of Louis XIII, Marie de Medici, and Anne of Austria, often with views of Paris in the background. He recorded out-of-doors court festivals and royal ceremonies, and public buildings such as the Hotel de Ville. He returned to Basel in 1616, during which time he completed a few plates, for a total of some fifty prints of French subjects. The artist's total oeuvre is enormous, consisting of nearly 700 single plates and series of prints, plus thousands of additional vignettes, views, and book illustrations. His experience in France was important for him and important for the documentation of French life. Few French-born etchers were active at this time, and Merian's timely and observant images are among the liveliest journalistic records of that era. In Frankfurt he spent most of his working life and with Martin Zeiller(1589-1661), a German Geographer, and later with his own son, he produced a series of Topographia consisting of 21 volumes including a very large number of town plans as well as maps of most countries and a World Map, a very popular work issued in many editions. He also took over and completed the later parts and editions of the Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages originally started by De Bry in 1590.

Matthaus MERIAN "il vecchio" (Basilea 1593 - Bad Schwalbach 1650)

Known for his mature work as a topographical printmaker based in Germany, Matthaeus Merian spent half a dozen of his early years in Lorraine and Paris (1610-15). He had learned to etch in Basel by 1609, the date on an etching copied from an old view of that city, and had studied etching and glass painting in Zurich in 1610. He was taken to Nancy as the assistant to etcher Friedrich Brentel. In 1610-11 they produced the series of large etchings that documented the funeral of Duke Charles III of Lorraine. In Nancy, Merian came into contact with Jacques Bellange, some of whose etchings he was to copy a few years later. Merian continued on to Paris where he worked productively from 1612-15. He learned by copying works by such French engravers as the portraitists Leonard Gaultier and Thomas de Leu, and the architect Claude Chastillon. He etched portraits of Louis XIII, Marie de Medici, and Anne of Austria, often with views of Paris in the background. He recorded out-of-doors court festivals and royal ceremonies, and public buildings such as the Hotel de Ville. He returned to Basel in 1616, during which time he completed a few plates, for a total of some fifty prints of French subjects. The artist's total oeuvre is enormous, consisting of nearly 700 single plates and series of prints, plus thousands of additional vignettes, views, and book illustrations. His experience in France was important for him and important for the documentation of French life. Few French-born etchers were active at this time, and Merian's timely and observant images are among the liveliest journalistic records of that era. In Frankfurt he spent most of his working life and with Martin Zeiller(1589-1661), a German Geographer, and later with his own son, he produced a series of Topographia consisting of 21 volumes including a very large number of town plans as well as maps of most countries and a World Map, a very popular work issued in many editions. He also took over and completed the later parts and editions of the Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages originally started by De Bry in 1590.