THE COVER DESIGN

摘要

The Topographia Germaniae was a monumental publication in every sense of the word. It was intended as a thorough canvassing of all of the cities, towns, castles, fortresses, abbeys, and important landscapes in Germany. It took almost half of the seventeenth century to complete. In the end, the entire set consisted of thirty thick folio volumes containing a total of 92 maps and 1,486 detailed engravings of 2,142 views. It was one of the largest publishing efforts of its time. Over fifty known engravers contributed their craftsmanship to its creation. It was the brainchild of the publisher who now serves as the inspiration, in both name and deed, for the popular modern Merian travel guide series. That publisher was Matth?us Merian.