1638 Merian View of Paris, France

This is a 1638 Matthaus Merian view of Paris, France - arguably the most desirable of Merian's panoramas, in that it is also a self-portrait. The view is oriented to the southwest, showcasing the Hôpital Saint-Louis with the city laid out beyond it. The view was probably drawn from atop the Chauve-mont, now the site of Paris' Parc des Buttes Chaumont; it was almost certainly drawn by Merian himself: the view bears the Latin inscription Math. Merian as vivum delineav. To underline this, Merian has included himself in the picture, seated upon a rock sketching the view before him. Rather than border the view with stylized or fanciful floral decoration, Merian has chosen to frame the panorama in realistic semi-wild trees and bracken of the hillside from which he drew the view, again emphasize that it was drawn from life.

And it is a remarkable view! Fifty-six structures and places are listed below the view with a number key: Notre Dame can be easily found, as can be La Bastille, and other structures both inside and outside the city walls. The Seine can be seen, winding through the city and off into the distance. Diminuitive figures can be seen moving along the roads and on the grounds of the Hôpital Saint-Louis, on foot, horseback and carriage.

Publication History and Census

This view was created by Matthaus Merian for inclusion in his Archontologia cosmica, published in Frankfurt am Main, in 1638 with further editions noted in 1646 and 1649. After his death, his son Caspar re-engraved this view to a second plate. This latter view includes a note dating it to 1620; although it removes the 'ad vivum' note of the original, it does retain the self-portrait of the elder Merian. Caspar produced a further view, dated 1654 and showing a different perspective. This first plate is catalogued in eight institutional collections in OCLC.