1578 Munster Leaf Russia Moscow Vasily Ivan Bears 2Pics
1578 Description of Russia
from "Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster
Geography, Towns, Rivers, Fauna
A Story of a Trapped Man, Bear and Honey
Two Woodcut Pictures
Single authentic woodcut leaf from
"Cosmographia" by Sebastian Münster. German edition; Printed
1578 in Basel
by Officin Henricpetrina. Book IV ("Von den Moscowytern"), pages
Mccxxi-Mccxxvii (1221-2).
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 most interesting authentic
leaf from the 1578 German edition of Cosmographia
is devoted to Russia (Muscovy).
Münster writes about geography of Russia and neighboring countries.
The text is partly based on
Italian historian Paulus Jovius.
There exists an early
English translation of selected sections of Casmographia, in the book
"A briefe collection and compendious extract of straunge and memorable
thinges, gathered out of the Cosmographye of Sebastian Munster. Wherein
is made a plaine description of diuers and straunge lawes, rites, maners
and properties of sondrye nations, and a short report of straunge
histories of diuers men, and of the nature and properties of certaine
fovvles, fishes, beastes, monsters, and sondry countryes and places",
published in London in 1574 by Tomas Marshe.
The sections on the bears and bees of Russia can be found on pages 27-29
therein. In particular, Marshe translates the story of a man, bear, and honey that
can be found on page 1221 of the leaf:
"There was reported by Demetrius, Ambassador at Rome, from the King of
Musco, that a neighbor of his, going to seek hony, fell into a hollow
tree, up to the brest in hony, where he lay two days, being not heard by
any man to complain; at length came a great Beare to this hony, and,
putting his head into the tree, the poore man tooke hold thereof,
whereat, the Beare, suddenly affrighted, drew the man out of that deadly
danger, and so ranne away for feare of a worse creature."
Münster describes the land
of Russia, neighboring countries, rivers (Volga, Dvina, Dnepr, Don), mountains,
towns, and
religion. There is an interesting account of political events from the period of the
reign of Basil/Vasily III ("Basilij"), Grand Duke
of Moscow 1505-1533 and his son Ivan IV the Terrible ("Iwan").
The text mentions Sigismund I of Poland, whose army
defeated the invading forces of Muscovy in 1535, thereby
safeguarding Poland's eastern borders.
The ancient name of Ural Mountains is Riphei - "Gold Mountains", and the text
mentions Ripheos and Hyperboreaos.
Münster also writes about various provinces of Muscovy, including
Moscow, Perm, Bashkiria, Karelia, as well as about
Colmogora. Colmogora
(Kholmogory) in northwestern Russia
lies along the Northern Dvina River, southeast of the city of
Arkhangelsk. The village has existed since 1355, when it served traders
as a riverine port en route to the White Sea. It grew into a large
commercial centre in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Part of the text is based on doctor Mathias von Michow
(Marcin z Miechowa, Miechowita; c1457-1523), Polish historian and
rector of the Academy of Cracow.
The leaf contains two
woodcut pictures
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A woman and a hive of honey bees
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A pagan worshipping the sun and crescent moon
See pictures for more details; click image to view larger version.
The leaf measures 8.1 x 13 inches. Printed on
laid paper.
The leaf is in fair condition.
Imperfections: browning, foxing, and handling (mainly in margins); wormholes;
marginal folds.
This is a rare and exceptionally interesting historical
document which
will look great with a mat and frame.
-
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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