Matthäus Merian the elder

In the heart of the European Renaissance, on September 22, 1593, Matthäus Merian the Elder was born in Basel. His exceptional talents as an engraver and publisher brought him fame and recognition and made him a proud member of the prestigious Merian family of Basel. His exquisite work continues to shape our fine art print collection today. His depiction of the topography of Germany is considered his masterpiece and reveals his skills in cartography and chronicle publishing. Merian, son of the sawyer and councilor Walther Merian, was an enthusiastic student in his youth. After attending high school, he devoted himself to the art of drawing, engraving, and etching under the tutelage of the Zurich engraver Friedrich Meyer. His educational years took him through Strasbourg, Nancy and Paris from 1610 to 1615, where he further honed his skills under the supervision of Friedrich Brentel and Jacques Callot . During this time, he produced the impressive city map of Basel. Merian traveled through cities such as Augsburg and Stuttgart, eventually landing in Frankfurt am Main and Oppenheim in 1616, where he worked for the publisher and engraver Johann Theodor de Bry.