Beschrijving
Bust-length portrait of Johann van Giffen, turned to the left, looking forward. Johann van Giffen (active around 1648) was a German lawyer and diplomat.
Engraving and etching on hand laid paper, sheet size 312 x 191 mm., platemark 177 x 127 mm. Made by Matthäus Merian the Elder, and published by his heirs in: Schleder, J.G.. Theatrum Europaeum. Frankfurt am Main: Merian, 1652. Vol. 6, p. 921.
Matthäus Merian the Elder (1593-1650) was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt, Germany for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house. He was a member of the patrician Basel Merian family.
In very good condition, ample margins. Some offsetting of letterpress on the opposite page (when this was still in it's book). Some small creases in the margin edges, lower margin lightly soiled (well outside image area).
References: Wütrich (Das druckgraphische Werk von Matthaeus Merian d. AE.) vol. 3, p. 113.
