Bilder Sebastian Munster (1488–1552) – View of the Nordgau Region – Woodcut (1550)

Beskrivning

This print presents a detailed topographical map of the Nordgau region in Bavaria, showing various towns, rivers, and forested mountainous terrain. The map identifies several historical locations including Nuremberg, Amberg, and Regensburg, along with the course of the Danube and its tributaries. 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 served as a primary source for sixteenth-century scholars to understand the geography and territorial organization of Central Europe during the Reformation era.

Sebastian Munster was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and Christian Hebraist who became one of the most significant geographic scholars of the sixteenth century. 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.