Bilder Sebastian Münster (1488–1552) – View of Transylvania, Wallachia, and Bulgaria (Von Tranſsiluania, Siebenbürgen) – Woodcut with Letterpress Text (Circa 1544–1568)

Beskrivning

This print is a folio page from a German edition of the monumental geographical treatise, the Cosmographia. The page features two German-language descriptions, with the overarching subject being the southeastern European territories. The central woodcut is a regional map focusing on Transylvania (Siebenbürgen), Wallachia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia, showing the Danube River and the western shore of the Black Sea (Pontus). The map details the geographical and political situation of these lands, which were of strategic importance during the 16th century. The text above the map provides a separate chapter, Cap. lxvj, focusing on the Wallachians and their customs.

Sebastian Münster was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and professor at the University of Basel. His major work, the Cosmographia (first published 1544), was one of the most successful and widely reprinted geographical books of the 16th century. It utilized thousands of woodcuts to illustrate the cities, maps, customs, and natural history of the world.

Artist or Maker: Sebastian Münster

Dimensions: Approximately 33 × 20 cm

Medium: Woodcut with letterpress text on laid paper

Date: Circa 1544–1568

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.