EUROPA DAS EIN DRITTHEIL DER ERDEN..
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Attractive, uncommon , interesting map of modern Europe.
This is one of the earliest obtainable maps of the European continent. Its unusual orientation, with north at the bottom of the sheet and the Mediterranean Sea at top, also makes it one of the most interesting maps of Europe. Mountains, forests, rivers and towns fill the land and in the Atlantic Ocean there is a large sailing ship. Sebastian Munster was the first to make individual maps of each continent, and this map is from that series.
Large Galleon.
Good strong impression
Excellent hand colour.
Very good condition.
Ref: Potter p.98; Mickwitz & Miekkavaara #158 [3].
code : M3609
Cartographer : Sebastian Munster
Date : 1550 Basel
Size : 27*34 cms
availability : Sold
Price : Sold
Originally a scholar studying Hebrew, Greek and mathematics, Sebastian Munster (1489-1552) eventually specialised in mathematical geography and cartography. It was this double ability - as a classicist and mathematician - that was to prove invaluable when Munster set himself to preparing new editions of Solinus’ “Memorabilia” and Mela’s “De Situ Orbis”, two classical descriptive geographies containing maps, and his own two greatest works, the “Geographia” and “Cosmographia”. These reflect the widespread interest in classical texts, which were being rediscovered in the fifteenth century, and being disseminated in the later fifteenth and sixteenth century, through the new medium of printing.
The “Geographia” was a translation of Ptolemy’s landmark geographical text, compiled in about 150 AD., illustrated with maps based on Ptolemy’s calculations, but also, in recognition of the increased geographical awareness, contains a section of modern maps. In the first edition of the “Geographia”, Munster included 27 ancient Ptolemaic maps and 21 modern maps, printed from woodblocks. Subsequent editions of the “Cosmographia” were to contain a vast number of maps and plans.
One consequence of Munster’s work was the impetus it gave to regional mapping of Germany, but Munster was also the first cartographer to produce a set of maps of the four continents on separate maps. Most importantly, through his books (the “Geographia” and “Cosmographia” alone ran to over forty editions in six languages), Munster was responsible for diffusing the most up-to-date geographical information throughout Europe.
