Matthaus Merian the Younger

Matthäus Merian the Younger was a Swiss engraver, portrait painter, and publisher, renowned for his contributions to European art and cartography in the 17th century. Born on March 25, 1621, in Basel, he was the eldest son of Matthäus Merian the Elder and Maria Magdalena de Bry, and a half-brother to the naturalist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian. Following in his father’s footsteps, Merian became an accomplished engraver, studying under Joachim von Sandrart. His artistic education included time in Amsterdam, Paris, and London, where he worked alongside notable figures like Anthonis van Dyck. From 1643 to 1647, Merian traveled extensively in Italy to further his studies and later participated in the Peace Congress in Nuremberg, creating portraits of its prominent attendees. After his father’s death in 1650, Merian and his younger brother Caspar took over the family publishing house in Frankfurt. Together, they continued producing volumes of the Topographia Germaniae and Theatrum Europaeum, significant works combining cartographic and historical documentation. Despite their success with these series, the publishing house's overall output declined under their management. Merian, however, gained distinction as a portraitist, notably creating works during the coronation of Leopold I in 1658. Merian also produced altarpieces, including notable commissions for Bamberg Cathedral and the Barfüßerkirche in Frankfurt. His legacy is marked by his ability to merge artistic skill with historical documentation. Merian passed away on February 15, 1687, in Frankfurt, where his grave at the Peterskirchhof remains preserved.