"View of London looking over Southwark to the North 1638"

A striking panoramic view of London before the Great Fire of 1666, from Gottfried & Merian Neuwe Archontologia Cosmica, engraved by Matthaus Merian the Elder and published in 1638 in Frankfurt, Germany. It is based on 1616 view of London by Claes Jansz Visscher and 1600 Civitas Londini by John Norden. The key to 43 most significant buildings is printed beneath.

Printed area (image as on the main picture) measures:

Medium poster 13.8x31.5 inch / 35.2x80.0 cm (approx. same sheet size) - this size is near original

Elizabethan London shown as it was around 1600 when the population was around 200.000. The river Thames, the London Bridge and the Southwark Cathedral are in the foreground. Several traitors’ heads on iron spikes are shown atop a tower at the southern gate of London Bridge. On the South Bank in the foreground are the flags of the Shakespeare’s first Globe Theatre, where one of the first plays performed was Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. St Paul’s is over the river to the left.

Matthäus (Matthias) Merian the Elder (22.09.1593 – 19.06.1650) was a leading German illustrator and engraver of the 17th century. He was born in Basel and learned the art of engraving in Zurich, Strasbourg and Paris. In 1618 Merian went to Frankfurt, where he married Maria Magdalena de Bry, a daughter of publisher and Merian’s employer Johann Theodor de Bry. They had seven children including Matthaus Merian the Younger, later a well-known engraver himself. After death of de Bry in 1623, Merian took over his publishing house, which was destroyed by fire in during the Spanish occupation. Merian then moved back to Basel, and soon after to Frankfurt, Germany. Maria Magdalena de Bry died in 1645, and the following year Matthaus married Johanna Sibylla Heim. One of their children was Anna Maria Sibylla Merian, who later became a pioneering naturalist and illustrator. Matthäus Merian the Elder is best known for the series Theatrum Europaeum which he started in 1635, and Topographia Germaniae published after 1642, with over 2000 plates engraved by himself and his sons Matthaus and Caspar. Merian’s town views are famous for their detail and provide extraordinary insight into 16th and 17th century urban life.

This poster is a high quality "giclee" reproduction of a painstakingly restored antique original, custom-printed on Standard Single-weight Matt Coated art paper 140gsm ( flexible option, easier to tack directly to a wall but could also be framed). We use the latest UltraChromeHDX pigment inks which guarantee 60 years of colour  permanence (up to 200 years fade-proof for colour prints).

 If you are going to frame this print we recommend you to check our other listing for same print on Heavyweight Matt Coated art paper 230gsm (more of a thin card density) or superb Epson Matt Canvas 320gsm, and for other available sizes. All our giclee prints are of the same high quality.

POSTER PRINT QUALITY

Please note that our reproduction posters are made to order and every print is checked before posting. The images we use in most cases are scans of antique originals, professionally restored in order to remove the most evident stains, folds, tears and other damage.  We strive to balance the restoration and saving the overall integrity and antique appearance of the original. Our restored images are unique and these prints can be purchased only from VictorianMaps.

There will be no watermark on your image but there might be a white border depending on aspect ratio of the original. Please note that when a large antique original is reduced to a smaller size print some text may not be readable. Please check our measurements: every poster has its own aspect ratio same as original and printed exactly as pictured.

SAFE SHIPPING

Prints up to A4 are placed in transparent sleeve and posted in cardboard-backed envelope, unless posted together with a larger poster. All posters larger then A4 are rolled in transparent plastic and acid-free tissue paper and placed in heavy-duty postal tube for dispatch / delivery. We do not ship posters folded.

It will be shipped by Royal Mail or other service with tracking and/or delivery confirmation. The P&P includes postage and packaging, and the excess (i.e. for A4 prints) will always be refunded.  International buyers: please check the postage costs and allow extra time for overseas delivery; please be aware that the purchase price doesn't include any possible custom charges.

COMBINED SHIPPING

Shipping for multiple purchases will be combined wherever possible. In multiple item purchase, each additional item postage is charged at £1.00.

If you intend to purchase two or more items: please first put all our items in Ebay basket / cart, and you will then see a total with combined postage before checkout. For smaller prints sent in an envelope or in a shorter postal tube, postage may end up cheaper and excess will always be refunded.

REFUND GUARANTEE

We would like you to be satisfied with your purchase. If by any reason you are not happy with it, simply return it within 14 days for a full refund.

A good feedback is always appreciated and indicates you have received the item safely.

Thank you!