Conrad Meyer Engraving - Zurich

Night of the Assassins

 

17C Engraving, Night of the Assassins, Zurich
Dramatic Battle Scene

 

This marvelous 17th Century copperplate engraving by Conrad Meyer shows a furious battle scene in the city of Zurich on the famous "Night of the Assassins" or Mordnacht in 1350. The signature "Conrad Meyer fecit" appears in the plate, and there is also a date, 1676. Printed in strong relief on handlaid chainlinked paper.

The Night of the Assassins: In 1336, the knight Rudolf Brun succeeded ousting a group of Zurich city council members in order to give greater equity to guild members in running the affairs of Zurich. He then proclaimed himself mayor of Zurich for life. But the exiled council members continued to seek to return and capture the city. On the night of February 23, 1350, the former council members tried unsuccessfully to overthrow Rudolf Brun and were defeated by the citizens of Zurich. The butchers of the “Guild Zum Widder” played an important role in this defeat. Widder means ram in German, and you can see the guild's symbol, a prancing ram, on the flag in the background.

Conrad Meyer (1618 - 1689) was one of Zurich's most prolific and famous painters and engravers and the member of a famous family of Swiss painters. One of the outstanding artists of his time, Meyer worked as an engraver for Matthias Merian's famous print making enterprise. He is listed in all the major artist references, from the Benezit to the Dictonary of Art.

 

We believe this print comes from the series of New Year's Engravings (Neujahrsblaetter) published for the youth of Zurich by the Zurich library. Conrad Meyer started this series together with the poet Johann Wilhelm Simler who wrote the verses that appeared under the images. The tradition was later continued by his son, Johannes Meyer.

The rhyming text in German is difficult to decipher because of the old script, but I believe it reads something like this: Hier, an Sanct Mathias Nacht, als von ..Schlaff, ueberfallen lag, ploetslich Mord ...betraft, Zurich, die Uralte Statt, dann Graff Hans von Habsburg sich mit der aus gejagten Ross heimlich hin und her verstriech....etc. . Essentially it tells the story of the attack of the city on the eve of St. Matthias. Count Johann II von Hapsburg-Laufenberg, the lord of Rapperswyl, participated in the attack against the city. Later Rudolf Brun laid siegeto Rapperswyl in revenge.

Dimensions: Platemark: 6 X 10.75 (15 cm X 27 cm), Sheet, Around 14 X 10.5 (Around 36 X 27 cm)

 

Condition: Nice handlaid chainlinked paper (see photo detail) Very good condition inside plate mark. Light smudging of text. Nice clear lines and strong imprint in illustration. There is some staining in the margins (see photo below). Some tape has been applied to the back outer edges (see photo of back below)

 

 

 

 

 

Print Themes and Categories
Village Collections
Browse Village Antiques Prints Page by Page
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10
Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20
Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30
Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40
Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Sold Prints Search Village Antiques
Contact Village Antiques