Munster map of America after Ortelius

MUNSTER, Sebastian.

Die newen Inseln so hinder Hispania gegen Orient bey dem Landt Indie gelegen
Basle: Sebastian Petri, 1598, German edition. Coloured woodcut, image size 320 x 360mm.

An updated map of Africa, introduced into Munster's 'Cosmography' in 1588 to replace the block cut in 1540. It was copied from the Ortelius map of 1570, but with less detail because of the limitations of woodcut. It predates the concept of California as an island and the discovery of the Great Lakes. The erroneous westward bulge of South America is retained, although Ortelius had already removed it from his map.
Two of cartography's other great myths, the islands of Friesland & St Brendan, appears top right.

BURDEN: 64.
Stock ID : 19763