Maathaus Merian's Copperplate Engravings

          Matthaus Merian was born in Basel around 1593. As a young boy he was taught the craft of glass-painting but soon switched over to copper-plate engraving. This is the trade that he is known for today. During the years of his apprenticeship he moved to Zurich and traveled through many places in Germany, Switzerland, and France.

          In 1616, Merian began working at a publishing house in Frankfurt under Johann Theodor de Bry. One year later, Merian married de Bry's daughter and had 3 children. Both sons went into the publishing business and his daughter became an acclaimed naturalist and illustrator. Following the death of Johann, Merian was given control over the publishing company and thus became a citizen of Frankfurt.This is where he spent most of his time.

Although he spent most of his life as a Publisher, Merian is best know for his copperplate engravings.To make a copperplate engraving, Merian would start with a sheet of copper and coat it with a waxy substance. He then used a hardened steel point to cut a design into the waxy surface and onto the copper. All metal shavings and wax were removed and the plate was heated. Ink as poured over the hot copper sheet until all of the ridges were filled with ink. Now the plate could be wiped clean and placed in a printing press to be printed onto a damp piece of parchment. Copperplate engraving was a very time-consuming and meticulous practice.

Topographia Germaniae is a 21 volume produced and published by Merian. These volumes included views of towns and cities along with maps of major cities of the world. Collectively, the volumes include over 2,000 copperplate engravings completed by himself. The dedication he had to his craft helped him slowly become the most recognized copper plate engravers in Europe at the time and today.

Architectural Engravings from the 16th - 18th Centuries

Plate 9 - Sala all'uso degi antichi Romani con Colonne, e nicchie ornate di Statue (Hall according to the custom of the ancient Romans) by Giovanni Battista Piranesi

Plate 14 - Templum et Academicum Colleg. Societatis Jesu… by Salomon Kleiner (1703-1761)
Palazzo Delia Seren Casa Medici Nel Monte Pincio Archittura di Anibal Lippi che fu Pittore Romano…by Giovanni Giacomo de Rossi (1627-1691)

Arader Galleries is pleased to present a new catalog featuring our selection of architectural engravings from the 16th through 18th centuries. These extraordinary engravings showcase the both the Baroque and Neoclassical styles of architecture seen in great cities such as Rome, Vienna and London.

Please contact Arader Galleries at 415.788.5115 to request a copy of the Architecturals catalog.

Best wishes to you in the New Year!

Calling All Audubon Aficionados

Hooping Crane by John James Audubon

For those of you already familiar with Arader Galleries, John James Audubon needs no introduction. But for those not entirely acquainted with the greatest bird illustrator of all time, the current issue of Art and Antiques Magazine features on article on the notorious artist titled: Call of the Wild: Documenting America’s Birds was the Lifetime Obsession of John James Audubon.

The article begins by tracing Audubon’s extraordinary trials and tribulations. Beginning with his financial struggles and his inability to secure a publisher for The Birds of America, the article underscores Audubon’s commitment of staying true to his goal. Indeed, Audubon persevered, finding a different reception abroad. Eventually, the English engravers Robert Havell Sr. and Robert Havell Jr. agreed to publish the drawings, and The Birds of America was released to subscribers from 1827 to 1838. Ultimately, The Birds of America comprised of 435 color plates, published in the massive double elephant folio format. Yet the article mainly aims to present Audubon aficionados to an exhibit and book that reveal new research regarding what motivated this extraordinary individual.

The article highlights New York Historical Society’s exhibit, Some Things Old, Some Things Borrowed, But Most Things New, which traces Audubon’s ingenuity with respect to his predecessors and contemporaries. The book, Audubon: Early Drawings (published in September of 2008 by Harvard University Press) features Audubon’s work until 1821, illustrating how Audubon’s skill developed overtime. Lastly, but certainly not least, the article quotes W. Graham Arader III himself on what makes Audubon’s birds so iconic.

The article nicely traces the production history of The Birds of America and introduces new developments about what inspired this infamous artist. For anyone who appreciates the majesty of Audubon’s Birds of America we invite you to stop by Arader Galleries to view our exceptional collection of Audubon’s hand-colored aquatint engravings from Birds of America. Also, should you find yourself in New York City from February 13 to April 5 we strongly encourage you to catch the Audubon exhibit at the New York Historical Society.

We also have an excellent selection of Audubon's hand-colored engravings available for purchase at Arader Galleries. Please visit www.aradersf.com or call 415-788-5115 for more information.

One of the earliest publications on the flora and fauna of North America

Kingfisher by Catesby

Hermit Crab by Catesby

Arader Galleries is pleased to offer a selection of first edition, hand-colored copperplate engravings from Mark Catesby’s The Natural History of Carolina , Florida and the Bahama Islands . The first edition was printed between 1731 -1743 in London , and contains 220 plates published in two volumes, which depict birds, reptiles, fish, insects and mammals. The first volume was printed in 1731, and the second was printed in 1743. It is the first natural history book to use folio-sized color plates, and the first pictorial account of the flora and fauna of North America.

In 1712 the English born artist and naturalist embarked on a series of explorations to the southern colonies of British North America. Enthralled by the wildlife, he spent years traveling by foot through parts of present day Virginia, Georgia, the Carolinas and Bahamas. He encountered and documented uncountable varieties of animal and plant life that where entirely unknown to Europeans. These travels would become the basis for Catesby’s breathtaking book.

The Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Island is one of the most sweeping, complete and unique natural history study ever created. It is considered a crowning achievement of 18th century art and science. This work was completed at the same time Linnaeus was working on his Systema Naturae, and used Catesby’s work as the basis of his system of binomial nomenclature for American species. When Catesby returned to England in 1726 he was unable to afford the expense of having his drawings engraved professionally so he taught himself. He also carefully monitored the coloring either painting the impressions himself, or closely supervising the colorist to insure its fidelity to the original studies.The book provided an important model for later artists including Audubon and Alexander Wilson, who followed in Catesby’s footsteps a century later. His pioneering attempts to describe and portray birds accurately, life-sized and in botanical settings set him apart from his contemporaries.

The first edition of Mark Catesby’s book was printed on imperial folio sized hand-laid papers (approximately 14-1/2 x 20-1/2 inches) with various plate mark dimensions (approximately 9-5/8 x 13-3/8 to at least 10-1/4 x 13-7/8 inches). Chain lines on the paper appear to be uniformly spaced at 1 inch. Two Watermarks identify the first edition of Catesby prints from later editions. The first is the “Strausburg Lilly” over the initials “LVG”, representing the Dutchman Lubertus van Gerre-vink. This is also the same paper in which many of his original drawings are mounted on. A second Watermark found in the first edition is the “IHS” over “I. VILLEDARY”, representing the Jesuits and the Jean Villedary.

Be sure to view our collection of Catesby and other natural history artists such as Audubon, Barraband and Gould at our San Francisco Jackson Square location at 435 Jackson St., or online at www.aradersf.com.