1561 Munster Leaf India Alexander Crested Serpents 3Pic
1561 Description of India
from "Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster
Animals encountered by Alexander the Great
during his conquest of India, Dionysus
Three Woodcut Pictures
Single authentic woodcut leaf from
"Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster. German edition; Basel printing
house of Sebastian Heinrich-Petri 1561. Book V ("Von den landern Asie"), pages
Mcccci-Mccccii (1421-2).
Sebastian
Münster (1488-1552) was a German cartographer, cosmographer, and
Hebrew scholar whose Cosmographia (1544; "Cosmography") was the earliest
German description of the world and a major work
- after the Nuremberg Chronicle of 1493 - in the revival of
geographic thought in 16th-century Europe. Altogether, about 40 editions of the
Cosmographia appeared during 1544-1628.
Although other cosmographies predate Münster's, he is given
first place in historical discussions of this sort of publication, and
was a major influence on his subject for over 200 years.
Cosmographia contained not
only the latest maps and views of many well-known cities, but included
an encyclopaedic amount of detail about the known - and unknown - world
and undoubtedly must have been one of the most widely read books of its
time. Aside from the well-known maps and views present in the
Cosmographia (including
the first separate printed map of the Western Hemisphere),
the text is thickly sprinkled with vigorous woodcuts:
portraits of kings and princes, costumes and occupations, habits and
customs, flora and fauna, monsters and horrors.
Click here for more information about Münster
and Cosmographia, including the content and
list of editions and artists
This authentic
leaf from the German edition of Cosmographia
is devoted to the
conquest of India by Alexander the Great. There is a large
section on animals
encountered by the Macedonians during their voyage. Thereafter follows a section on
various towns in India conquered by Alexander.
Page 1402 contains a comment on Dionysus (Bacchus, Liber),
the Thracian god of wine.
In Phrygia the goddess Rhea cured him and taught him her religious
rites, and he set out on a progress through Asia teaching the people the
cultivation of the vine. The most famous part of his wanderings is his
expedition to India, which is said to have lasted several years.
The Dionysian myths were recognized by Alexander the Great
on his visit to India.
The leaf contains
three splendid woodcut pictures:
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Two multi-headed, crested hydras, or
serpents, with weasel-like bodies
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A horse with a beautifully groomed mane
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Bacchus drinking wine
See pictures for more details; click image to view larger version.
Page measures 7.6 x 11.8 inches
Printed on laid paper. Margins suitable for framing.
The woodcuts are in very good condition.
The leaf is in fair/good condition.
Imperfections: handling and soiling in margins (including several small
tears in the lower margin); one small wormhole.
This is a rare and exceptionally interesting historical document that
will look great with a mat and frame.
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This item is unconditionally guaranteed to be original and as described. We do not sell reproductions or
copies.
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I am a member of
the International Map Collectors' Society (IMCoS)
and
the Washington Map Society.
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about this item, please
contact me
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