Great Scenes from the Bible

230 Magnificent 17th-Century Engravings

Matthaeus Merian (the Elder)

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9780486420431
• eBook ISBN: 9780486155838
• Topic: Design
• Subtopic: Graphic Design

Swiss etcher and engraver Matthaeus Merian the Elder (to distinguish him from his son, Matthaeus Merian the Younger, a portrait and historical painter), was born in Basel in 1593. He studied in Zurich, Paris, Stuttgart, and the Netherlands, eventually settling in Frankfurt where he worked for the publisher Johann Theodor de Bry, whose daughter he later married. On the death of his father-in-law in 1623, Merian took over the publishing house, while continuing his own artistic efforts. Perhaps best known for his many detailed topographic prints of European cities, he also produced numerous engravings of battles and hunts, as well as such prints as Dance of Death, illustrations for Gottfried’s Chronik, and the series Theatrum Europaeum.
Among Merian's most notable accomplishments was the creation and publication of the Icones Biblicae (1625–1630), a monumental collection of engravings of scenes from the Bible, accompanied by descriptive texts in German, Latin and French. The present volume reproduces all 230 of these superb images, minus the accompanying texts, but with new titles for the plates, and citations of book, chapter and verse. Reminiscent of seventeenth-century European landscapes, and full of wonderful details of plants and animals, clothing, weapons, buildings, cities, and more, Merian's images retain a mood of piety, awe and reverence, while avoiding the saccharine and sentimental. Instead, the artist has given us honest, straightforward renderings of a host of memorable scenes and characters from both the Old and New Testaments, and the Apocrypha, that capture the high drama, heartrending tragedy, and transcendent religious experience of this most influential of books.
Remarkably detailed illustrations depict Adam and Eve Driven Out of the Garden of Eden, The Flood, David Slaying Goliath, Christ in the Manger, The Raising of Lazarus, The Crucifixion, and many other scenes. A wonderful pictorial dimension to age-old stories. All 230 plates from the classic 1625 edition.

THE OLD TESTAMENT

HEAVEN AND EARTH

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis, 1:1

THE CREATION OF MAN

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him. Genesis, 1:27

THE SERPENT IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. Genesis, 3:3

ADAM AND EVE DRIVEN FROM THE GARDEN

So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword. Genesis, 3:24

GOD’S CURSE

And unto Adam he said...cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Genesis, 3:17

CAIN AND ABEL

And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him. Genesis, 4:8

NOAH’S ARK

There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded. Genesis, 7: 9

THE FLOOD

And the flood was forty days upon the earth. Genesis, 7:17

GOD’S COVENANT

I do set my bow in the cloud and it shall be a token of a covenant between me and the earth. Genesis, 9:13

NOAH’S DRUNKENNESS

And he drank of the wine and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. Genesis, 9:21

THE TOWER OF BABEL

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower whose top may reach unto heaven. Genesis, 11:4

ABRAHAM DEPARTS FOR CANAAN

So Abraham departed as the LORD had spoken unto him. Genesis, 12:4

MELCHIZEDEK, KING OF SALEM

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine. Genesis, 14:18

GOD APPEARS TO ABRAHAM IN THE GUISE OF THREE STRANGERS

And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. Genesis 18:8

LOT AND HIS DAUGHTERS

And they made their father drink wine that night. Genesis, 19:33

HAGAR IN THE WILDERNESS

And the angel of God called to Hagar...and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard t...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• NOTE
• THE OLD TESTAMENT
• THE NEW TESTAMENT
• DOVER PICTORIAL ARCHIVE SERIES