Matthaus Merian began publishing the ‘Theatrum Europaeum’ in 1633, it was not finished until 1738 by which time 21 volumes had been issued including some 20,000 pages of text, 720 maps, plans, views and other engravings and nearly 700 portraits. This plan of the region of Perpignan in Languedoc relates to the Thirty Years War between Spain and France. In September 1642 it was formally ceded by Spain to France under whom it has been ever since.