British Isles — Sebastian Münster, 1588
Coming 11/11
- Cartographer
- Sebastian Münster
- Date
- 1588
- Publication
- Cosmographia · Basel, Sebastian Petri, 1588
- Subject
- Great Britain and Ireland
- Medium
- Woodcut with original hand colour
- Dimensions
- 31 × 36 cm (woodcut); 35.5 × 43.5 cm (paper)
- Condition
- Very good; original hand colour
About this piece
An original hand-coloured woodcut of Great Britain and Ireland from the 1588 German edition of Sebastian Münster’s Cosmographia, published by Sebastian Petri in Basel. The heading introduces England and neighbouring Scotland under the old names Albion and Britannia. The most immediately striking choice is its orientation, with west at the top of the page.
The familiar outline of the islands takes a moment to recognise. Towns, churches, hills and woodland are drawn as small pictures, while ships and sea creatures animate the water. A separate panel of German text occupies the lower right. The detail gives the sheet much of its appeal, especially where small coastal settlements sit close to expanses of open sea.
This example retains its original hand colouring and the paper is in very good condition. The printed image measures 31 × 36 cm, with a full sheet size of 35.5 × 43.5 cm.