The family name Meyer (also Meijer, Meier, Maier) stands for a dynasty of bronze casters of German origin, documented between the late 16th and the end of the 18th century, active in Copenhagen, Florence, Helsingør, Riga, Stockholm and Tallinn. They were predominantly cannon and bell casters and occasionally statue casters. Over generations they were casters to the City of Riga and to the King of Sweden mainly in Stockholm. As wandering journeymen, members of this bronze-casting dynasty had to travel to complete their training before becoming master craftsmen. From the Middle Ages, bronze casters were highly skilled craftsmen who were much sought after and thus often travelled long distances across Europe and beyond to where their technical expertise was called for. Courts typically competed to secure the services of the best casters.

A North-German origin of the Meyer family is most likely. Hans Meyer, member of the first known generation of this family, had relations to Lübeck, an important Hanseatic city with long tradition in metal casting. He himself wrote in Low-German, as is customary in Northern Germany.The only document written by his hand is an account. LVVA, Stadtkasse Riga, Einnahmen, Ausgaben, Rechnungen, Quittungen 1574-1598, fol. 29r. It is possible that he was related to another Hans Meyer, "by der Trave", who was the son-in-law of Lübeck's foremost caster Karsten Middeldorp (+1561).T. Hach: Lübecker Glockenkunde, Lübeck 1913 (Veröffentlichungen zur Geschichte der freien und Hansestadt Lübeck, II), p. 210, note 1. The misreading of a cannon's inscription led in the past to the false assumption that the Meyer family were of Nuremberg origin.(A.A.: "Der Pulver-Thurm", Rigaische Stadt-Blätter XXVIII, 51 (1827), pp. 414-416) The cannon today in the Army Museum in St. Petersburg is not signed "Gerhardt Meyer von Nurnberg" but indeed "Georgen Burger von Nuremberg". Repeated by P. Campe: Die Kirchenglocken Lettlands von ältester Zeit an bis zum Jahre 1860 und ihre Gießer, Riga 1930 (Acta Universitatis Latviensis. Architekturas Fakultates Serija, I.1.)p. 182 and M. H. Grieb, (ed.: Nürnberger Künstlerlexikon. Bildende Künstler, Kunsthandwerker, Gelehrte, Sammler, Kulturschaffende und Mäzene vom 12. bis zur Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts, 4 vols., München 2007, II, p. 1016. The German origin is stated on the epitaph of the Swedish branch of the Meyer family in the Klara Church in Stockholm (“Origine Germano”), erected in 1761.See Stockholms Kyrkor VI. S. Klara Kyrka, o.O. 1928 (Sveriges Kyrkor), p. 271f. with transcription errors.

There are many pieces preserved cast by members of the Meyer family, documented or signed. Signatures have sometimes led to confusion since given names, as per common practice at the time, were repeatedly used in the family. Over six generations, seven Gerhardt (Gärdt, Gerdt, Gert, Gertts, Gerhard) and eight Johann (Hans) are known. Sometimes these have been mixed up in the literature.The numbering of members of the Meyer family with the same given name used in this article are taken from the genealogical tree drawn up by Georg Steinmetzer in A. Rudigier, B. Truyols: "Giambologna. Court Sculptor to Ferdinando I. His Art, his Style and the Medici Gifts to Henry IV." Photography by Georg Steinmetzer, London 2019, Appendix III. A short overview is given in A.N. Kennard: Gunfounding and Gunfounders. A Directory of Cannon Founders from Earliest Times to 1850, London-New York-Sydney 1986, pp. 113f. with divergent numbering.

The confusion is made more challenging as different members of the family used the same signature, often punched with the same set of punches, which were passed on over generations. As was customary for their profession, bronze casters of the Meyer family throughout all generations signed their casts using the traditional formula which let the piece itself speak: either in Latin "Me fecit…" (I was made by...) or German "mich goß…" (I was cast by...).For origin and development of this formula see S. Thurm: Deutscher Glockenatlas II. Bayerisch-Schwaben, G. Grundmann (ed.), Berlin 1967, p. 38; E. Ploss: "Der Inschriftentypus "N. N. me fecit" und seine geschichtliche Entwicklung bis ins Mittelalter", Zeitschrift für deutsche Philologie LXXVII (1958), pp. 25-46 and P.C. Claussen: "Früher Künstlerstolz. Mittelalterliche Signaturen als Quelle der Kunstsoziologie", in: Bauwerk und Bildwerk im Hochmittelalter. Anschauliche Beiträge zur Kultur- und Sozialgeschichte, K. Clausberg, et al. (eds.), Giessen 1981, pp. 7-34 (Kunstwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen des Ulmer Vereins, Verband für Kunst- und Kulturwissenschaften, XI), p. 321ff. On many casts made by members of the Meyer family the signature was made with punches. Over generations, casts dating from the late 16th to the mid-18th century were marked with the same set of punches. As was standard practice, they did note use the punches for marking bells. As some of these letter punches were gradually worn, single letters or numbers were replaced over time.

The two earliest known casters of this dynasty are Johann (I), who died 1610, and Gerhardt (I). The latter, coming from Stockholm, briefly joined Johann (I) in his workshop in Riga in 1596 before moving on to Italy. It is not certain how they were related.

State of research Most of the literature dealing with history and oeuvre of the Meyer family has a local context. Their activity in Riga was part of a vast research by the Latvian architect Paul Campe (1885–1960) who first published his results in a comprehensive publication in 1930. His unpublished material about the subject is preserved in Marburg (DSHI). He also contributed the basic articles in Thieme-Becker. Information about the family members active in Stockholm is given in Nordisk Familjebook 1904–26, Vol. XIII, 1290, Svenska Konstnärer o.J. (1955), 257, and Svenskt Konstnärslexikon o.J. , Vol. IV, 118. In these contributions the connections between the branches of the family active in various places have not been sufficiently understood. Extensive research of the related archival material mainly in Latvia and Sweden has recently increased the basic knowledge about the Meyer family. The chronology is based on a family tree covering the time from 1582 to 1797 published by A. Rudigier and B. Truyols in 2019.

Family workshops and their masters

Riga

Johann (I) Johann (I), also called Hans, died in 1610. He must have spent time, possibly as a wandering journeyman, in Lübeck. This can be derived from a dispute he had with the guild in Lübeck, when he was already in Riga. The guild accused him of having poached assistants from his colleagues there.See T. Hach: "Mittheilungen über Rigasche Erzgießer", Rigasche Stadtblätter 75, 29 (1884), p. 281. The letters, which inform about this case are in Staatsarchiv Lübeck, Ämter und Innungen, Rotgießer, Auswärtige Beziehungen, Riga (1582-1643). Among the Baltic cities, Lubeck and Riga had the closest relations. See F. Siewert: Geschichte und Urkunden der Rigafahrer in Lübeck, Berlin 1897 (Hansische Geschichtsquellen, I). He seems to have been for some time in military service as in the abovementioned dispute his first wife was pejoratively referred to as a soldiers’ moll (öffentliche Haerhure).cf. Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm. Lfg. 4 (1871), Bd. IV, II (1877), Sp. 758, Z. 4. The high-tech knowledge and skill of cannon-casters was constantly needed in the army. After years of travel in military service Hans Meyer came to Riga, at the time a German-speaking town, to become assistant to the caster to the City Michel Baier. Before 1582 he took over Baier's workshop and was appointed his successor in 1585.Campe 1930, p. 20. Meyer was in permanent scuffle with the Riga guild and became a member only in 1594."Hat...unser Ambts Mitgenos bisher nicht sein mögen" complains the Rigan guild in 1582 (Hach 1884, p. 282). For Meyer’s admission to the guild see LVVA, Kleine (St. Johannes) Gilde, Berichte der Altermänner 1549-1624, fol.84r-85r. For the guild’s strict rules ("Schragen" see F. Brunstermann: Die Geschichte der Kleinen oder St. Johannis-Gilde in Wort und Bild, Riga 1902, pp. 357-365. The inscription on a bell he made for St. Peter's church in 1585 is a testimony of his difficult circumstances: "In Gottes Namen hat mich Hans Meyer gegossen, das hat manigen verdrose" (In the Name of God Hans Meyer cast me, which did annoy some people).Campe 1930, p. 88. Hans died in 1610.See LVVA, Stadtkassa Riga, Einnahmen, Ausgaben, Rechnungen, Quittungen 1609-10, Nr. 35: Payment of 18.8.1610 made to "der Gysserin Hans Maiers Wedwen". Campe 1930, p. 182 notes that he was buried April 29th, 1610. He left behind his second wife Catarina Bordinck and at least three underage children.Hans Meyer’s second wife had a much better reputation than his first one. She was the eldest daughter of Rigan citizen Hans Bordinck, who was himself possibly of Strassburg origin. After her father’s death about 1592 she and her siblings were under guardianship (LVVA, Rigasches Stadt-Waisen-Gericht, Verzeichnis der Verstorbenen alßwohl der Vormündere und Kinder Namen (1591-1615), fol. 2 Nr. 19) which is a terminus post quem for Meyer’s marriage with Catharina. One of her brothers was pastor Hans Bordinck, who in 1610 on his part became guardian of his nephews, left half-orphan after Hans Meyer’s death. (LVVA, Rigasches Stadt-Waisen-Gericht, Verzeichnis der Verstorbenen alßwohl der Vormündere und Kinder Namen (1591-1615), fol. 43, Nr. 452). See his unpublished material in DSHI, NL Campe. Catarina continued to run the workshop until around 1612 when it was taken over by Medardus Gessus (Gesus, Gisus) from Constance whom she possibly married.Cf. Hammarskiöld, Ludvig, «Kopparkanoner I Sverige och deras tillverkning», Med hammare och fackla. Årsbok utgiven av Sancte Örjens Gille XVIII (1949/50), 25-64, p. 47. In a document of 1610 Catarina is called caster (Gießerin) (18.8.1610, LVVA, Stadtkasse Riga, Einnahmen, Ausgaben, Rechnungen, Quittungen 1609-10, 7, Nr. 35). Catarina Meyer died in Stockholm 1636 (25.11; SSA, Tyska församlingen, Dödabok 1635-1680) whereto she had followed either Medardus Gessus or her son Gerhardt (II) Hans Meyer is said to have been the best caster ever active in Latvia."das Vollendetste in der Kunst des Metallgusses..." P. Campe: "Das Stadtgießhaus zu Riga", Baltischer Almanach (1931), 110-120, p. 116. Some of his cannons (called “Buchse” in 16th century German) are still preserved.Until 19th century about 33 canons made by Johann I and his grandson Gerhard III have been kept in the arsenal of Riga. M. Thiel: "Das Arsenal in der Citadelle von Riga", Rigaische Stadt-Blätter XVIII, 49-50 (1827), pp. 405-407. In 1857, after the ramparts and bastions of the city had been demolished, most of the cannons where brought to the Museum of Artillery in St. Petersburg. In 1891 some of the cannons returned to be shown in the "Dom Museum" of Riga, founded in these days.

Georg Georg, also called Jürgen or Gorgen, died in 1657. He was the son of Johann (I) and may have learned in 1610, still underaged, under his father's successor, the itinerant caster Medardus Gessus. Georg himself became caster to the City of Riga in 1627 after master Medardus, possibly his stepfather, had left Riga for Stockholm in 1623. Four years later, in 1631, he was awarded citizenship.17.6. 1631 (LVVA, Rigasches Kämmerei- und Amtsgericht, Quartalbuch 1615-1634, p. 587). He died before November 23, 1657, and left behind a wife Anna Bruens (died after 1663) and a son named Johann, whose profession is unknown.See LVVA, Rigasche Ratsoberkanzlei, Ratsprotokolle Publica, 6, p. 11. In later years Johann was active abroad. In 1660 the City of Riga confirmed his birthright, possibly necessary for getting accepted in a guild. (LVVA, Rigasche Ratsoberkanzlei, Missive ad Privatos, 575, f. 138-140).

Gerhardt (III)