Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna, or Ancient and Modern Sweden, is the title of a large work of engraving

Engraving

Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...

s, collected by Erik Dahlbergh in the middle of the 17th century. The Suecia can be described as a grand vision of Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 during its period as a great power, and Dahlberg's direct source of inspiration were the topographical publications issued by the Swiss publisher Matthäus Merian

Matthäus Merian

Matthäus Merian der Ältere was a Swiss-born engraver who worked in Frankfurt for most of his career, where he also ran a publishing house.-Early life and marriage:...

. In 1661 Dahlberg was granted a royal privilege enabling him to realize his plans, which kept him occupied for a good decade, and a work that would not be printed until after his death. In its final state Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna comprised three volumes with a total of 353 plates.

External links

• Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna at the Royal Library of Sweden
• Suecia Antiqua et Hodierna at the World Digital Library
  World Digital Library
  The World Digital Library is an international digital library operated by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress.The WDL has stated that its mission is to promote international and intercultural understanding, expand the volume and variety of cultural content on the Internet, provide...