Africa Libya Morland mit allen künigreichen so zu unsern zeiten darin gefunden werden.

The earliest obtainable printed map to show all of Africa. First published in 1540 by Sebastian Munster, this map is also famous because of its rich mythical content. The Monoculi or cyclops around Nigeria, an elephant in South Africa, crowns and sceptres indicate kingdoms all over the continent. Decorated with a large galleon under full sail westward of South Africa. Title on verso surrounded by a beautiful woodcut border. From the German edition of Sebastian Munster's Cosmography, titled Cosmographey oder beschreibung aller Länder, published 1550 by Heinrich Petri in Basel. The woodblock of this map was first used in Seb. Munster's Geographia Universalis in 1540.

Centrefold backed in lower white margin. Very good condition.

Sebastian Münster was born 1489 in Ingelheim (Pfalz). First being a Franciscan, he became Professor for Theology, Hebrew and Mathematics after he converted to Protestantism in 1529. He became one of the most influencing geographers of the sixteenth century. His Cosmographia, published in 1544, spread geographical knowledge wide over Europe. It was issued in nearly 40 editions and 6 languages. Münster was the first cartographer publishing each known continent on a separate map. His second important work was the Geographia, a new edition of Ptolemys Geographia. He died May 1552 in Basel on Black Death.