Matthäus Merian - Icones Biblicae - Biblische Figuren - 1631

RARE BIBLICAL PICTURES of Matthäus Merian "the Elder" (1593-1650), the famous Swiss-born engraver who worked in Germany for most of his career. An extraordinary collection of 128 nearly full-page copperplate engravings (height 190 x width 263 mm) depicting the most important episodes and characters from the Gospels. The images are highly detailed, beautifully engraved, with all their details intact, and feature beautiful chiaroscuro. Merian was famous throughout Europe for his panoramas, topographical, and cartographic productions, and between 1625 and 1631 he began publishing a series of biblical images in four separate parts under the title "Icones Biblicae - Biblische Figuren," for a final total of 233 engravings. These four parts were assembled and printed depending on the edition; with or without descriptive text and with varying numbers of engravings depending on the agreement with the printer/publisher. This 1631 edition, with the same title in Latin & German, "Icones Biblicae - Biblische Figuren," contains 128 of them. Solid binding and in excellent condition. References; H. Wüthrich, Das druckgraphische Werk von Mattaeus Merian d. Ae. (Basel: Bärenreiter, 1993), vol. 3; W. C. Poortman, Bijbel en Prent ('s-Gravenhage, 1986), 2:56-59; H. Rosenau, Vision of the Temple (London: Oresko, 1979), pp. 135; Schmidt, Die Illustration der Lutherbibel (Birsfelden/Basel, 1977), pp. 304-329; VD17 23:289608V and 23:655618H.

The quality of this work is excellent and it is well known that Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) consulted a copy of the "Icones Biblicae - Biblische Figuren" to find inspiration for his portraits and compositions. The initial work was conceived as a monumental collection of great scenes from the Bible, designed by Merian, and accompanied with short descriptive texts in German, Latin, Dutch, and French by German theologian and historian Johann Ludwig Gottfried (1584-1633). Swiss-born engraver Matthaeus Merian (the Elder) lived in Germany most his life where he produced several religious, historical, and topographical publications for the European market. Perhaps best known for his detailed prints of European cities, Merian's biblical imagery, both of Old and New Testament compositions, were also well integrated into the vernacular culture of his time. Merian's superb engravings are reminiscent of seventeenth century European landscapes, rich in architectural details and period clothing and notable for its baroque exaggerations with loud, extreme characters in highly dramatic situations.

TITLE : Icones Biblicae Praecipuas Sacrae Scripturae Historias eleganter et graphicae repraesentantes = Biblische Figuren; darinnen die fürnembsten Historien in Heiliger Göttliger Schrifft begriffen…(Biblical Icons Elegantly and Graphically Representing the Main Stories of the Holy Scriptures…)
AUTHORS: Matthäus Merian "the Elder" (1593-1650)
PUBLISHER: Johann Krebs
DATE: 1631, Cologne (Köln), title page in latin and german

DESCRIPTION: In-4 oblong size, height 190 x width 263 mm (7.5 by 10.4 inches). Engraved title in Latin and German, and 128 unnumbered engravings, fully illustrated book. Binding from the early 1900s, solid and in perfect working order, titles in German, small negligible defects on one edge of the spine. Title page a little browned but intact, illustrations are clean, intact and well engraved, rare small stains or defects.

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