Bilder Sebastian Munster (1488–1552) – View of Frankfurt an der Oder – Woodcut (1550)

Beskrivning

This print presents a detailed topographical woodcut view of the city of Frankfurt an der Oder, depicted from across the Oder River. The cityscape highlights prominent Gothic structures including the Saint Mary church and the Saint Nicholas church, alongside defensive walls, civic buildings, and a long wooden bridge spanning the river. A decorative banner at the top features the city name and the year 1548. The work was published as part of the Cosmographia, the earliest German-language description of the world, which served as a critical resource 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 36 cm x 43 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.