An original antique map of Messina, engraved by Matthias Merian. It was first published in 1638 and appeared in various publications including the “Itinerarium Italiae” of 1640 and editions of the “Theatrum Europaeum”. It was also featured in the “Topographiae Italiae”, published in 1688 in Frankfurt am Main by the Merian heirs, and was a part of the celebrated Topographia series initiated by Matthäus Merian the Elder and continued by his sons after his death.
The engraving shows the Sicilian port of Messina and its defences as seen from the sea with many boats in the harbour, title on top edge.
The engraving highlights Merian's hallmark style of depicting cities in a part-map and part bird's-eye view point.
Matthäus Merian, the leading German illustrator of the 17th century, was born in Basel in 1593. He learned the art of copperplate engraving in Zurich and subsequently worked and studied in Strasbourg, Nancy, Paris, and the Low Countries.
In 1618 he went to Frankfurt, wherein in 1618, he married the eldest daughter of J.T. de Bry, publisher and engraver. After de Bry died in 1623, he took over his business. De Bry’s business remained in Merian’s family until 1726, when a fire destroyed it.
In 1635 he began the series “Theatrum Europaeum”. Between 1642 and 1688, he published Martin Zeiller’s “Topographia Germaniae”, with more than 2,000 plates etched and engraved by himself and his sons Matthäus and Caspar.
He also took over and completed the later parts and editions of the Grand Voyages and Petits Voyages, initially started by de Bry in 1590.
