| Method | Woodcut |
| Artist | Sebastian Münster |
| Published | [Basel, 1578] |
| Dimensions | 100 x 185 mm |
| Notes |
A largely fanciful but atmospheric woodcut view of Edinburgh, from the 1578 German edition of Munster's celebrated Cosmographia, and one of the earliest views of the city. The view serves as the header for Munster's description of the Royal City, following Alexander Alesius, a Scottish Lutheran theologian who held teaching posts in Frankfurt-an-der-Oder and Leipzig. The city is shown rising steeply up the banks of the Lethe, which runs across the bottom of the scene. An alphanumeric key identifies landmarks including the Royal Palace of Holyrood, the Castle, and the churches of St Cuthbert and St Giles. Sebastian Münster (20th January 1488 - 26th May 1552) was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and theologian. A gifted scholar of Hebraic, Münster originally joined the Franciscans, but left the order in favour of the Lutheran Church. He was appointed to the University of Basel in 1529, and published a number of works in Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. His most celebrated works are his Latin edition of Ptolemy's Geographia in 1540, and the Cosmographia in 1544. The Cosmographia was the earliest German description of the world, an ambitious work of 6 volumes published in numerous editions in German, Latin, French, Italian, and Czech. Condition: German letterpress titles and text above, below, and on verso. Minor creasing and time toning to sheet. |
| Framing | unmounted |
| Price | £250.00 |
| Stock ID | 46873 |