Matthaus Merian

Matthaus Merian (1693-1650) “the Elder” was a notable Swiss engraver born in Basel.  He worked and studied in Germany and France before moving to Frankfurt where he inherited his father-in-law’s publishing house in 1623.  There he produced numerous very detailed and stylized town plans of German and Swiss towns.  Together with his son Matthaus Merian (1621-1687) “the Younger”, he produced a 21 volume Topographia Germaniae containing a large number of town plans and views, maps of most known countries and a World Map.  He also completed the later parts and editions of Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages begun by is father-in-law Johann Theodor de Bry in 1590.

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