Munster's famous woodblock illustrating sea monsters

MUNSTER, Sebastian.

Les marins monstres & terrestres, lesquelz on trouve en beaucoup de lieux es partes septentrionales.
Basle, Henri Petri, c.1550, French text edition. Coloured woodcut, image size 250 x 350mm.

Some minor restoration.

One of the most iconic images issued in the 16th century by Sebastian Munster. A woodcut print depicting monsters of both land sea, inspired from Olaus Magnus' 'Carta Marina' of 1539, with abundant tusks, horns and twin-spouts. One vignette shows a galleon trying to outrun one monster by throwing their cargo overboard. Ortelius also adapted many of the sea monsters for use on his map of Iceland published in 1587.


Stock ID : 22957