Description
Die Kupferbibel mit den Radierungen Matthäus Merians des Älteren – Neues Testament – Strasburgt, 1630 (The Copper Bible with the Engravings of Matthäus Merian, the Old Testament – New Testament – Strasbourg, France, 1630).
Beautiful deluxe facsimile edition from 2017 by Belser Verlag, Stuttgart, limited to 999 copies. Texts in German.
Facsimile bound in embossed and embossed brown leather, spine with gilt titles, gilt edges with filigree, two leather and gilt bronze clasps, 27.5 x 39.5 cm. 348 pages.
With commentary by Stefan Strohm (texts in German), paperback, 25.8 x 39.5 cm, 96 pages with black and white and color illustrations.
Both presented in a leather and cloth slipcase, 30 x 43 x 9 cm.
Possibly the most beautiful copperplate engravings ever created adorn the text of this stunning 17th-century edition of the New Testament, printed in German using the elegant Fraktur typeface. It is the work of the famous Matthäus Merian the Elder, who arguably surpassed even the great Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer in the art of copperplate engraving. Originally from Switzerland, Merian learned his trade in Zurich and France, and founded a dynasty of printers and engravers in Frankfurt. His 77 luminous color engravings bring the numerous biblical stories to life and are distinguished by their extraordinary artistry, creativity, and precision. They are true small masterpieces of Baroque art and, together with a spectacular cover richly decorated with gold, make this “Copper Bible” one of the most coveted prints of the Early Modern Period.
Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593-1650) was arguably the most famous Swiss engraver and printer. Of patrician origin, he worked in Frankfurt. He served an apprenticeship in Zurich, where he learned the art of copper engraving, and later studied in Strasbourg, Nancy, and Paris. He arrived in Frankfurt in 1616 and married Maria Magdalena de Bry, the daughter of a publisher, a year later. Among his seven children was Matthäus Merian the Younger (1621–1687), who, like his father, also dedicated himself to engraving and portrait painting. After Maria’s death, he remarried in 1646. He had two children with Johanna Catharina Hein, including Anna Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717), a pioneer of naturalism and scientifically accurate illustrations. The Merian Bible was published in 1630 by the heirs of Lazarus Zetzner (1551–1616), who had founded a prominent printing house in Strasbourg.
The New Testament text, printed in an elegant Gothic typeface, is adorned with 77 beautiful colored copperplate engravings, considered by art historians to be some of the finest ever created. The gilt-edged pages of the codex are encased in a sturdy leather binding with metal clasps. Merian is considered one of the most important exponents of modern graphic arts, made possible by the printing press. His engravings are characterized by a combination of detail, delicacy, and vitality, making this Bible one of the most fascinating examples of 17th-century printed Bibles.
This copy is complete and in perfect condition.
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