Koblenz, by François de Belleforest. 1575
The Cosmographie Universelle of F. de Belleforest was published in a shared edition by Nicolas Chesneau and Michel Sonnius. The objective of the two partners was to reprint Sébastien Münster's Cosmographie in French. Münster's work, published in Basel in 1544, had been a great success and had known multiple reissues. It had been published in French in 1552, but Chesneau and Sonnius noted that Münster had mainly treated his own country, Germany, and wanted to satisfy the tastes of their compatriots more.
They appealed for the text of the work to François de Belleforest (1530-1583). Belleforest probably helped Chesneau and Sonnius in their quest for new city plans.
Belleforest's Cosmographie is presented in two parts, the first of which is divided into two volumes; each of the three volumes has its title. Some copies bear the imprint of Chesneau, and others bear the imprint of Sonnius.
Of the 163 plates in the Cosmographie, only 49 are copied from Sebastian Münster's work. Little is known about the engravers of the Cosmographie. The name of Cruche appears only once, at the bottom of the plate of Paris. Raymont Rancurel is the second known engraver in the Cosmographie. In 1572, the first volume of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum of Braun and Hogenberg appeared. Twenty of these plates were copied by the Cosmographie of Belleforest.
Johan. ex com. ab Isenburg arch. Trevir. princeps elector au 1549. - La ville de Confluence tès diligemment figurée, le pourtraict de laquelle nous a esté envoyé par très illustre prince Iean, Seigneur electeur de Trèves, Comte d'Isenbourg, pour l'enrichissement & ornement de nostre oeuvre de Cosmographie.
Item Number: 27376 Authenticity Guarantee
Category: Antique maps > Europe > Germany - Cities
Bird’s-eye view plan of Koblenz, by François de Belleforest.
Title: Johan. ex com. ab Isenburg arch. Trevir. princeps elector au 1549. - La ville de Confluence tès diligemment figurée, le pourtraict de laquelle nous a esté envoyé par très illustre prince Iean, Seigneur electeur de Trèves, Comte d'Isenbourg, pour l'enrichissement & ornement de nostre oeuvre de Cosmographie.
Date of the first edition: 1575.
Date of this map: 1575.
Woodcut, printed on paper.
Size (not including margins): 217 x 360mm (8.54 x 14.17 inches).
Verso: French text.
Condition: Excellent.
Condition Rating: A+.
From: La Cosmographie Universelle de tout le Monde. Paris, Nicolas Chesneau - Michel Sonnius, 1575. (= French edition of Münster's Cosmographia).
Copied from Münster.
The Cosmographie Universelle of F. de Belleforest was published in a shared edition by Nicolas Chesneau and Michel Sonnius. The objective of the two partners was to reprint Sébastien Münster's Cosmographie in French. Münster's work, published in Basel in 1544, had been a great success and had known multiple reissues. It had been published in French in 1552, but Chesneau and Sonnius noted that Münster had mainly treated his own country, Germany, and wanted to satisfy the tastes of their compatriots more.
They appealed for the text of the work to François de Belleforest (1530-1583). Belleforest probably helped Chesneau and Sonnius in their quest for new city plans.
Belleforest's Cosmographie is presented in two parts, the first of which is divided into two volumes; each of the three volumes has its title. Some copies bear the imprint of Chesneau, and others bear the imprint of Sonnius.
Of the 163 plates in the Cosmographie, only 49 are copied from Sebastian Münster's work. Little is known about the engravers of the Cosmographie. The name of Cruche appears only once, at the bottom of the plate of Paris. Raymont Rancurel is the second known engraver in the Cosmographie. In 1572, the first volume of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum of Braun and Hogenberg appeared. Twenty of these plates were copied by the Cosmographie of Belleforest.