BATTLE OF LÜTZEN GERMANY 1636 MERIAN LARGE UNUSUAL ANTIQUE 2-SHEETS BATTLE MAP

Description: Striking and highly detailed interesting unusual 1636  Matthäus Merian's copper engraved map of the Battle of Lützen, one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Thirty Years' War, took place on November 16, 1632.
 
The work documents in detail the typical military formations of the 17th century, particularly the massive infantry squares known as tercios, composed of pikemen and musketeers, enveloped in smoke from gunfire. In the upper right, the fortified town of Lützen is visible in flames. The battle is historically famous for the pyrrhic victory of the Swedes and, above all, for the death on the battlefield of King Gustav II Adolphus of Sweden, an event that profoundly changed the course of the conflict.
 
The panoramic view — printed on two joined sheets — shows the entire battlefield from a high bird's-eye perspective, from southwest (Swedish approach, left) to northeast (Lützen town and Imperial positions, right). The composition is organized across two battle phases (Erste Plano and Zweytes Plano), each keyed in the dense two-column German legend below. The key visual and historical elements are all present:
 
The Swedish army (left) advances in classic early 17th-century pike-and-musket formations — infantry brigades in close order with cavalry squadrons on both wings — across the foggy Lützen plain. The lower left corner depicts the violent cavalry engagement in which Gustav Adolf was unhorsed and killed, surrounded by Imperial cavalry; his death in battle is one of the most iconic moments of the war. At center, the great clash of the main battle lines is rendered with extraordinary energy — smoke, cannon fire, collapsing formations, and the chaos of hand-to-hand combat conveyed through Merian's finest engraving. To the right, Wallenstein's Imperial forces defend the windmill line (Mühlengasse — the critical terrain feature, visible upper center) and the approaches to Lützen town, whose distinctive church tower rises through the smoke at upper right. The most visually spectacular element is the dramatic powder magazine explosion at lower center-right — a starburst of fire, smoke, and debris that anchors the right half of the composition. The town of Lützen is shown with buildings burning at the upper right.
 
The explanatory legend below the image — in dense German type, organized as "Schlacht bey Lützen 1632 par. Erste Plano" and "Schlacht bey Lützen 1632 par. Zweytes Plano" — is one of the most comprehensive contemporary battle narratives in print, identifying Swedish and Imperial regiments, cavalry wings, artillery positions, the windmill line, the baggage train, and the successive tactical moves of both armies. Together with the visual panorama, it constitutes a primary document of exceptional historical depth.
 
Historical Context: The Battle of Lützen (16 November 1632) was fought between the Swedish army — commanded by Gustav Adolf with Duke Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar — and the Imperial-League forces under Albrecht von Wallenstein. Despite the fog, the Swedish forces broke through the Imperial lines and won the field. But Gustav Adolf, riding to rally his cavalry, was struck by musket fire and killed — his body found stripped on the battlefield. Command passed to Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar, who completed the victory. Sweden had saved the Protestant cause in Germany, but at the cost of its greatest king.
 
Source:  Merian, Matthäus. Theatrum Europaeum, Oder Ausführliche und Warhafftige Beschreibung aller und jeder denckwürdiger Geschichten, so sich hin und wieder in der Welt, fürnemblich aber in Europa, Teutschlanden, so wol im Religion- als Prophan-Wesen, vom Jahr Christi 1617 biß auff das Jahr (1718) . zugetragen haben. Beschrieben durch Johann Philipp Abelinus. Frankfurt am Main, Wolffgang Hoffmann, 1633-1738.

Date: 1636 ( undated )

Dimension: Plate size approx.: cm 74,8 x 34,3

Condition: Very strong and dark impression on good paper. Paper with chains and wiremarks. Map uncolored. Wide margins. Small foxing and browning. Small moisture signs. Sheet folded. Conditions are as you can see in the images.

Mapmaker: Matthäus Merian (September 22, 1593 - June 19, 1650), sometimes referred to as 'the Elder' to distinguish from his son, was an important Swiss engraver and cartographer active in the early to mid 17th century. Merian was born in Basel and studied engraving in the centers of Zurich, Strasbourg, Nancy and Paris. In time Merian was drawn to the publishing mecca of Frankfurt, where he met Johann Theodor de Bry, son of the famed publisher Theodor de Bry (1528 - 1598) . Merian and De Bry produced a number of important joint works and, in 1617, Merian married De Bry's daughter Maria Magdalena. In 1623 De Bry died and Merian inherited the family firm. Merian continued to publish under the De Bry's name until 1626. Around this time, Merian became a citizen of Frankfurt as such could legally work as an independent publisher. The De Bry name is therefore dropped from all of Merian's subsequent work. Of this corpus, which is substantial, Merian is best known for his finely engraved and highly detailed town plans and city views. Merian is considered one of the grand masters of the city view and a pioneer of the axonometric projection. Merian died in 1650 following several years of illness. He was succeeded in the publishing business by his two sons, Matthäus (1621 - 1687) and Caspar (1627 - 1686), who published his great works, the Topographia and Theatrum Eruopeaum, under the designation Merian Erben (Merian Heirs). Merian daughter, Anna Maria Sibylla Merian, became an important naturalist and illustrator. Today the German Travel Magazine Merian is named after the famous engraver.