Matthäus Merian the Elder facts for kids
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Matthäus Merian the Elder (born September 22, 1593 – died June 19, 1650) was a very skilled Swiss artist. He was an engraver, which means he made detailed pictures by carving them into metal plates. Merian spent most of his life working in Frankfurt, Germany. He also owned a company that printed and sold books and maps. He was part of the well-known Merian family from Basel.
Contents
Matthäus Merian: Master Engraver
Early Life and Artistic Journey
Matthäus Merian was born in Basel, Switzerland. He started learning how to engrave pictures onto copperplates in Zürich. This was a very important skill for making books and maps back then.
After his training, he traveled to many cities to learn more. He worked and studied in places like Strasbourg, Nancy, and Paris. In 1615, he returned to Basel. The next year, he moved to Oppenheim, Germany. There, he worked for a publisher named Johann Theodor de Bry. Johann was the son of a famous engraver and traveler, Theodor de Bry.
In 1617, Merian married Maria Magdalena de Bry. She was the publisher's daughter. For a while, he worked closely with the de Bry publishing company. In 1620, Oppenheim was badly damaged by fire. So, Merian and his family moved back to Basel. But just three years later, they returned to Germany, settling in Frankfurt.
Matthäus and Maria Magdalena had seven children together. Their sons included Matthäus Merian the Younger, who also became an artist. Maria Magdalena died in 1645. The next year, Matthäus married Johanna Sibylla Heim. They had two children. One of their daughters, Maria Sibylla Merian (born in 1647), later became a famous naturalist and artist. She studied and drew insects and plants.
A Publisher's Legacy
In 1623, Merian took over his father-in-law's publishing business. This happened after de Bry passed away. In 1626, Merian became a citizen of Frankfurt. This allowed him to work as an independent publisher. He spent most of his career in Frankfurt, creating and printing many important works.
Early in his career, Merian made very detailed maps of towns. For example, he created a map of Basel in 1615. He also made a famous map of Paris in the same year. These maps showed cities in a unique and artistic way.
Merian worked with a German geographer named Martin Zeiler. Later, he also worked with his own son, Matthäus Merian the Younger. Together, they created a huge series of books called Topographia. This collection had 21 volumes and was known as the Topographia Germaniae. It included many town maps and views. It also had maps of most countries and even a World Map. This work was so popular that it was printed many times.
Merian also finished other important book series. These were called the Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages. They were started by de Bry in 1590. These books included volumes about places like India Orientalis (East India) and America Occidentalis (West America).
Merian's amazing work inspired other artists. For example, the Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna by Erik Dahlberg was influenced by him. Even today, a German travel magazine called Merian is named after him.
Famous Works and Inspiration
Matthäus Merian was also known for his beautiful illustrations in books about alchemy. Alchemy was an old practice that mixed science and magic. He made pictures for books like the Musaeum Hermeticum (1678) and Atalanta Fugiens (1618). He also created engravings for a large book about insects called De Serpentibus. This book was put together by John Jonston. Merian's daughter, Maria Sibylla Merian, would later continue this tradition of drawing nature.
Matthäus Merian became ill for several years. He passed away in 1650 in Langenschwalbach, near Wiesbaden.
After his death, his sons, Matthäus Merian the Younger and Caspar, took over the publishing business. They continued to publish the Topographia Germaniae and another important work called the Theatrum Europaeum. They published these under the name Merian Erben, which means "Merian Heirs."
See also
In Spanish: Matthäus Merian para niños
- Topographia Galliae
