Sebastian Münster (1488 – 1552)
born in Ingelheim, near Mainz, was a German cartographer, cosmographer and Professor of Hebrew. As a young man, he joined the Franciscan order in which he became a priest and then studied geography at the University of Tübingen. In 1518 he moved to Basel where he started to publish a Hebrew Grammar and three years later he moved again, to Heidelberg where he continued to publish Hebrew texts. After converting to Protestantism in 1529, he took over the chair of Hebrew at the University of Basel where he edited his main Hebrew work, a two-volume Old Testament, accompanied by a Latin translation. He also published a book on the basics of geometry „Rudimenta Mathematica“.
In 1525 Sebastian Münster published his first known map, a map of Germany, and in 1535 he released a map of Europe „Mappae Europae“. In 1540 he published „Geographia Universalis vetus et nova … Claudii Ptolemai Alexandrini …“ , an updated version of Ptolemy’s „Geographia“. In addition Münster added 21 „modern“ maps. One of Münster‘s innovations was to include one map for each continent, a concept that would influence Abraham Ortelius and other early mapmakers. The „Geographia“ was reprinted in 1542, 1545 and 1552.
Sebastian Münster is best known by his work „Cosmographia universalis“, first published in 1544 with 24 double-paged maps; it was one of the greatest geographical and historical works and most popular books of the 16th century, until the advent of Ortelius‘ „Theatrum“. This earliest German-language description of the world passed through numerous editions in different languages including Latin, French, Italian, English and Czech until 1628, long after his death. More than a half of all editions was in German language.
The „Cosmographia“ was filled with maps, views and rich descriptions of places throughout Europe and beyond. One of the most fascinating woodcuts is „Gemeine beschreibung aller mittnächtigen Länder …“ which is loosely based on Olaus Magnus‘ „Carta Marina“ in 1529 (in Latin editions in that language „Septentriones Regiones …“)
Most of Münster’s work was published by his step-son Heinrich Petri (1508 – 1579) and his son Sebastian Henric Petri (1545 – 1627), both printers based in Basel, Switzerland.
Map Details
This woodcut page comes from the German edition of Sebastian Münster‘s „Cosmographia“, titled „Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder …“, published in 1560 by Heinrich Petri in Basel. In the lower part a heraldic lion and an initial „A“ are decorating a description of the countries to be seen on the map.
The map itself is identical with the one in the edition of 1578 (No. 176) but the maps are placed differently on the page.
Here it is in the upper part. The map includes Scandinavia, the Baltic region, the East of Scotland („Schotlad“), the Shetland Islands („Hetlad“), the Faroe Islands („Fare“) and a part of Iceland („Ißland“). However the picture section is smaller and less detailed than on „Gemeine Beschreibung …“. Of particular note are the rope-like mountains and broadly-drawn rivers. Only major cities are located.
Iceland („Ißland) is depicted without the western part. Place-names and symbols are completely missing.
On the reverse side there is a description „Von den Mitnächtigen Ländern“ with an illustration of a fisherman and a female patrician in a festive cloth.