GREUTER, Matthias - b. ~1564 Strasbourg, d. 1638 Roma

German (Alsatian) engraver. He converted to Catholicism in 1594 and moved to Avignon in 1596 with three children. Moved to Rome in 1603 and stayed there until his death in 1638. In 1612 he had a shop at San Marcello. In 1604 he petitioned for a 10-year papal privilege to cover work that he intended to engrave after his own inventions. The privilege was granted. He had interests in the sciences, especially mathematics and engraved the plates for Galileo’s book on Sunspots of 1613, under the supervision of Cigoli.

Baglione mentioned him as especially successful in small devotional works. He also made a number of thesis prints and titlepages. He re-worked existing plates, including Tempesta.

He was father of Johann Friedrich Greuter (c. 1591-1662), with whom he collaborated on some projects and who took over the business from him.

Beatus Philippus Nerius

Mathias Greuter was a German (Alsatian) printmaker working in Rome.

From the beginning, a great deal of emphasis was placed on Filippo Neri’s (1515-1595) affective spirituality, the spirituality of the heart. In this print by Matthias Greuter of 1606, for example, Neri is shown with his hand joined. Flanked by two angels and illuminated by a ray of light, he has turned his gaze upwards. The one on the right, clutching a lily (a symbol of purity), points to his portrait, while the other holds up a burning heart, its flames leaping into the air. He lays his left hand on his breast, where the blessed fire of sacred love was thought to blaze. Thus the true faith the saint embodies is represented as a form of feverish ardor.