Africa mit seinen besundern Ländern, Thieren, und wunderbarlichen Dingen

Attractive original coloured woodcut map showing the African continent. From a German edition of Cosmographia by Sebastian Munster printed from Petri in Basel. Two interesting woodcut on backside: Last leaf of the fifth book of the Cosmography, describing the exploration of the Spanish armada in Caribbean Sea. One woodcut showing a Spanish ship attacked by Native American and as described in the German text, the second woodcut showing a young Spanish explorer roasted on a spit.

Slightly waterstained, not affecting the woodcuts. Overall fine 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.