Bilder Sebastian Münster (1488–1552) – The Sixth Book (Babylon and the Babylonian Dragon) – Woodcut (Circa 1570)

Beskrivning

This sheet is an original text and woodcut page, taken from "Das Sachßte Buch" (The Sixth Book) of a historical cosmography. The page features two distinct woodcut illustrations related to ancient and distant lands. The upper image is a topographical view of the ancient city of Babylon, showing its distinctive architecture, walls, and bridges. The lower, larger illustration is a dramatic scene showing a scaly, mythical beast—known in the text as the Babylonian Dragon—being confronted by a figure in a landscape setting. The surrounding German letterpress text discusses the historical site of Babylon and references the biblical/apocryphal story of Bel and the Dragon. This page originates from a posthumous edition of Sebastian Münster’s renowned Cosmographia, the pivotal 16th-century compendium of world history and geography.

Sebastian Münster was a German cartographer, theologian, and cosmographer whose influential work, Cosmographia, systematically provided a geographical and historical overview of the world during the Renaissance period.

Artist or Maker: Sebastian Münster

Dimensions: Approximately 35 × 22 cm

Medium: Woodcut

Date: Circa 1570

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.