This product is successfully added to your cart
Questions about this product? (#25622)

Authenticity Guarantee
All items are guaranteed authentic prints (woodcuts or engravings) or manuscripts made at or about (c.) the given date and in good condition unless stated otherwise. We don’t sell facsimiles or reproductions. We deliver every map with a Certificate of Authenticity containing all the details.

World by Sebastian Münster. 1588

Sebastian Münster (1488-1552)

Sebastian Münster, a German geographer, cartographer, Hebraist, and theologian, was born in Ingelheim, near Mainz In 1505, he went to Heidelberg to enter the Franciscan order. In 1507 he went to Louvain, where he studied mathematics, geography, and astronomy. In 1509 Münster became a student of Konrad Pelikan, who taught Hebrew and Greek as well as mathematics and cosmography. In 1518 he completed his studies at the University of Tübingen. He was the favorite of the famous mathematician and astronomer Johann Stöffler.
In 1524 Münster was appointed professor of Hebrew at Heidelberg University. In 1525 he published his first map as part of a broadside: The Instrument of the Suns combined a map, calendar, astrological almanac, sundial, and nocturnal on one attractive sheet, suitable for wall mounting.
In 1540 he published a Latin edition of Ptolemy's Geographia with illustrations. He based this edition on the Latin translation by Willibald Pirkheimer and produced new maps to supplement the Ptolemaic maps. The twenty-seven maps of the Ptolemaic canon are supplemented by twenty-one new maps. Further editions appeared in 1541 and 1542.
In 1544 he published the Cosmographia, a bulky book with 659 pages and some 520 woodcuts. Maps in this edition included three maps from the Ptolemaic canon and fourteen modern maps (from previous editions of the Geographia), as well as nine new maps. Later editions (1545, 1546, 1548) enlarged the Cosmographia. The 1550 edition contains cities, portraits, and costumes. These editions in both Latin and German constitute the full fruition of Münster's dream of a comprehensive geography.
The Cosmographia was one of the most successful works of the 16th century. It passed through 24 editions in 100 years, in different languages, including Latin, French, Italian, English, and even Czech. The last German edition was published in 1628.
He died at Basel of the plague in 1552.
As a cartographer, Münster deserves special recognition for formulating a plan for a comprehensive and uniform map of a country. As a geographer, his greatest achievement was the Cosmographia. (Karrow).

back

Die erst General Tafel / die Beschreibung und den Circkel des gantzen Erdtrichs und Meers innhaltende.

€850  ($935 / £739.5)
add to cart
questions?
PRINT

Item Number:  25622 Authenticity Guarantee

Category:  Antique maps > World and Polar
References: Shirley (World) - 163

Old, antique world map by S. Münster.

Date of the first edition: 1588
Date of this map: 1588

Woodcut
Size (not including margins): 31 x 36cm (12.1 x 14 inches)
Verso text: German
Condition: Browned at centerfold,
Condition Rating: B+
References: Shirley (World), 163.

From: Cosmographen: das ist Beschreibung Aller Länder, Herschaffen und fürnemesten Stetten des gantzen Erdbodems ... Basle, S. Petri, 1588.

The 'modern' world map in the later issues of Münster's Cosmographia is an oval woodcut one, after Ortelius.

Sebastian Münster (1488-1552)

Sebastian Münster, a German geographer, cartographer, Hebraist, and theologian, was born in Ingelheim, near Mainz In 1505, he went to Heidelberg to enter the Franciscan order. In 1507 he went to Louvain, where he studied mathematics, geography, and astronomy. In 1509 Münster became a student of Konrad Pelikan, who taught Hebrew and Greek as well as mathematics and cosmography. In 1518 he completed his studies at the University of Tübingen. He was the favorite of the famous mathematician and astronomer Johann Stöffler.
In 1524 Münster was appointed professor of Hebrew at Heidelberg University. In 1525 he published his first map as part of a broadside: The Instrument of the Suns combined a map, calendar, astrological almanac, sundial, and nocturnal on one attractive sheet, suitable for wall mounting.
In 1540 he published a Latin edition of Ptolemy's Geographia with illustrations. He based this edition on the Latin translation by Willibald Pirkheimer and produced new maps to supplement the Ptolemaic maps. The twenty-seven maps of the Ptolemaic canon are supplemented by twenty-one new maps. Further editions appeared in 1541 and 1542.
In 1544 he published the Cosmographia, a bulky book with 659 pages and some 520 woodcuts. Maps in this edition included three maps from the Ptolemaic canon and fourteen modern maps (from previous editions of the Geographia), as well as nine new maps. Later editions (1545, 1546, 1548) enlarged the Cosmographia. The 1550 edition contains cities, portraits, and costumes. These editions in both Latin and German constitute the full fruition of Münster's dream of a comprehensive geography.
The Cosmographia was one of the most successful works of the 16th century. It passed through 24 editions in 100 years, in different languages, including Latin, French, Italian, English, and even Czech. The last German edition was published in 1628.
He died at Basel of the plague in 1552.
As a cartographer, Münster deserves special recognition for formulating a plan for a comprehensive and uniform map of a country. As a geographer, his greatest achievement was the Cosmographia. (Karrow).

Related items

Old, antique map of Ancient World by Ortelius A.

Aevi Veteris, Typus Geographicus 1595
Old, antique map of Ancient World by Ortelius A.
[Item number: 6684]

€650  ($715 / £565.5)
The World and Continents by Bertius P.

Typus Orbis Terrarum + Europa + Asia + Africa + America 1618
The World and Continents by Bertius P.
[Item number: 18172]

€1400  ($1540 / £1218)
Old, antique map of the ancient world by A. Ortelius

Geographia Sacra 1601
Old, antique map of the ancient world by A. Ortelius
[Item number: 24987]

€900  ($990 / £783)
The Ancient World by Ortelius Abraham.

Aevi Veteris, Typus Geographicus 1601
The Ancient World by Ortelius Abraham.
[Item number: 9294]

€650  ($715 / £565.5)
The world by Robert de Vaugondy.

Orbis Vetus in utraque Continente juxta Mentem Sansonianam Distinctus, nec non Observationibus Astronomicis Redactus ... c. 1757
The world by Robert de Vaugondy.
[Item number: 5092]

€870  ($957 / £756.9)
World by  Barent Langenes

Typus Orbis Terrarum. 1602
World by Barent Langenes
[Item number: 12009]

€450  ($495 / £391.5)
World map by H. Bünting - D.A. Veleslavina.

Cosmographia Universalis. 1592
World map by H. Bünting - D.A. Veleslavina.
[Item number: 26356]

€1600  ($1760 / £1392)
Double hemisphere world map, by Girolamo Ruscelli.

Orbis Descriptio. 1564
Double hemisphere world map, by Girolamo Ruscelli.
[Item number: 27838]

€800  ($880 / £696)
World by Henricus Hondius, double hemisphere.

Nova Totius Terrarum Orbis Geographica ac Hydrographica Tabula. Auct: Henr: Hondio. 1641
World by Henricus Hondius, double hemisphere.
[Item number: 28768]

€15000  ($16500 / £13050)
World by Homann Heirs, double hemisphere with six smaller projections.

Planiglobii Terrestris Mappa Universalis utrumque Hemisphaerium Orient et Occidentale Repraesentans ex IV. Mappis Generalibus ... / Mappe-Monde qui Represente les Deux Hemispheres Savoir celui de l'Orient et celui de l'Occident ... 1746
World by Homann Heirs, double hemisphere with six smaller projections.
[Item number: 28839]

€1600  ($1760 / £1392)
World by Porcacchi Tommaso.

Descrittione Del Mappamondo. 1572
World by Porcacchi Tommaso.
[Item number: 28910]

€550  ($605 / £478.5)
World by Homann J.B., double hemisphere.

Planiglobii Terrestris cum Utroq Hemisphaerio Caelesti Generalis Repraesentatio. c. 1720
World by Homann J.B., double hemisphere.
[Item number: 29066]

€2400  ($2640 / £2088)
World by Pieter Van der Aa, double hemisphere.

Nouvelle Mappe-Monde, 1710
World by Pieter Van der Aa, double hemisphere.
[Item number: 29136]

€2400  ($2640 / £2088)
World in two hemispheres by Pieter Mortier.

Mappe-Monde Dreßé sur les Observations de Mrs. de l'Academie Royale des Sciences et quelques autres et sur les memoires les plus recens. 1705-1711
World in two hemispheres by Pieter Mortier.
[Item number: 29509]

€2600  ($2860 / £2262)
World map by Zacharias Châtelain.

Mapmonde ou description generale du Globe Terrestre. 1713
World map by Zacharias Châtelain.
[Item number: 29555]

€450  ($495 / £391.5)
The world by Abraham Ortelius / Philippe Galle.

Typus Orbis Terrarum. 1589
The world by Abraham Ortelius / Philippe Galle.
[Item number: 29605]  new

€620  ($682 / £539.4)