Hereditas Antikvárium

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9. Könyvárverés

Basel, 1532.
Early, delicately decorated woodcut world map by Sebastian Münster, the most prolific cartographer of the era. The representation was presumably based on Johannes Schöner’s globes, Petrus Apianus’ work (1520), and Waldseemüller’s wall map (1507), with the oval projection of Benedetto Bordone’s world map. It was printed on two joined sheets and appeared in the first edition of 1532 of the work „Novus Orbis Regionum” (published by Johannes Huttich and Simon Grynaeus). The finely crafted decoration surrounding the map field is attributed to the younger Hans Holbein. The work of Münster and Holbein is an amazing example of the presentation of the world in two ways: by cartography and by pictures made based on descriptions. The page shows a somewhat uncertain use of the name America, which in this case, is limited to South America. Holbein decorated the frame with animals, plants, and life scenes associated with the four continents in the corners. Sea monsters, sirens, and a meticulously crafted galley appear in the map field. The artist illustrated Africa with the depiction of a tragic elephant hunt and some natives wearing lip plates, Asia with a hunting scene and an image of exotic spices (pepper, nutmeg, and cloves), America with the presentation of the horrors of a cannibal feast, and Europe with an Italian seaside view. Because of the cherubs depicted at the poles – and they rotate the world on its axis – there are theories that this is the first depiction of Copernicus’ heliocentric worldview – before the theory was published.
Dimensions: 370 x 555 (385 x 570) mm.
Fine, clear copy with cropped left margin. With existing export licence.
Shirley: 67.