Matthew Merian's Bible of 1630 - Old Testament

Matthew Merian's Bible of 1630 - Old Testament

Mathew or Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593-1650) was a Swiss engraver, the most famous in history, and printer from a patrician background who was active in Frankfurt. He apprenticed in Zürich where he learned the art of copperplate engraving, and studied thereafter in Strasbourg, Nancy, and Paris. He came to Frankfurt in 1616 and married Maria Magdalena de Bry, the daughter of a publisher, a year later. Their seven children included Matthäus Merian the Younger (1621-87), who also became an engraver like his father, as well as a portrait painter. After the death of Maria, he was remarried to Johanna Catharina Hein in 1646, having two children including Anna Maria Sibylla Merian (1647-1717), who was a pioneer of naturalism and the creation of scientifically accurate illustrations. Merian’s Bible was published in 1630 by the heirs of Lazarus Zetzner (1551-1616), who established a prominent printing house in Strasbourg.

Colored Copperplates of the Old Testament

The text of the Old Testament, printed in an elegant Fraktur script, are adorned with 157 colored copperplates, considered by art historians to be some of the finest ever created. The gilt-edged pages of the codex are contained in a hard leather binding with gold embossing, metal clasps, and corner fittings. Merian stands out as one of the greatest representatives of the new graphic arts made possible by the printing press. His engravings stand out for their combination of detail, subtlety, and liveliness, making this one of the most fascinating specimens of a printed Bible from the 17th century.