Bilder Sebastian Munster (1488–1552) – View of Munich – Woodcut (1550)

Beskrivning

This print presents a detailed topographical view of the city of Munich, depicted within its historical fortifications and surrounded by rolling hills. The cityscape highlights prominent Gothic spires, civic buildings, and a bridge crossing the Isar River, all framed by a decorative banner bearing the city name. The illustration is set within a page of German fraktur text and was published as part of the Cosmographia, the earliest German-language description of the world. This influential work combined geographical maps with historical accounts and city views, serving as a primary source for sixteenth-century scholars to understand the urban development and geography of central Europe.

Sebastian Munster was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and Christian Hebraist who became one of the most significant geographic scholars of the Reformation era. A former Franciscan monk who later converted to Protestantism, he served as a professor at the University of Basel, where he compiled vast amounts of geographical and historical data. His masterpiece, the Cosmographia, went through numerous editions and was translated into several languages, fundamentally shaping the European worldview for decades. Munster is recognized for his systematic approach to cartography and his role in popularizing the study of geography through highly detailed woodcut illustrations and maps.

Artist or Maker: Sebastian Munster.

Dimensions: Approximately 35 cm x 23 cm.

Medium: Woodcut .

Date: 1550.

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.