| Method | Woodcut |
| Artist | Münster, Sebastian |
| Published | [Basle, 1558] |
| Dimensions | 255 x 345 mm |
| Notes |
Münster's famous 'monster chart,' one of the most sought-after sixteenth century cartographic curiosities, from Book 4 of an Italian edition of the Cosmographia. The map, showing numerous sea-monsters and animals of the far north, the so-called 'Midnight Lands,' is based upon Olaus Magnus' Carta Marina of 1539. The block is signed 'HRMD', for the Swiss engraver Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch. The block is also signed 'M-F' by the unknown blockcutter above an icon of a engraving chisel, though it is possible that the cutter was Manuel Deutsch himself, with the M-F standing for Manuel Formschneider. The success of Münster's Cosmographia meant that the chart became the model for the iconic sea-monsters that appear so frequently on the maps of the most celebrated Dutch and Flemish cartographers. The creatures themselves are labelled with an alphanumeric key, corresponding to Münster's explanatory text on the verso. Highlights include double-blow-holed monsters and massive sea-serpents attacking merchant ships, a gigantic man-eating lobster, creatures with pig-heads, bird-heads, and bullock-heads, birds hatching from a tree in the bottom left corner, and various dangerous and prodigious land-dwelling beasts. This particular example derives from an Italian edition of Munster's Cosmographia. Between 1558 and 1575, three Italian editions were printed, in Basel, Venice, and Cologne respectively. Sebastian Münster (20th January 1488 - 26th May 1552) was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and theologian. A gifted scholar of Hebraic, Münster originally joined the Franciscans, but left the order in favour of the Lutheran Church. He was appointed to the University of Basel in 1529, and published a number of works in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. His most celebrated works are his Latin edition of Ptolemy's Geographia in 1540, and the Cosmographia in 1544. The Cosmographia was the earliest German description of the world, an ambitious work of 6 volumes published in numerous editions in German, Latin, French, Italian, and Czech. Condition: Central vertical fold, as issued. Printers creases to central fold, and to bottom left half of sheet. Time toning and minor staining to sheet. Small chip to bottom of central fold. Old adhesive tape to verso. Italian letterpress text on verso. |
| Framing | framed |
| Price | £2,500.00 |
| Stock ID | 53484 |