Sebastian Munster (1489 - 1552) was one of the three most renowned cartographers of the sixteenth century, along with Mercator and Ortelius. Munster's Geographia and Cosmographia Universalis were two of the most widely read and influential books of the period. His editions of Ptolemy's Geographia, published between 1540 and 1552, were illustrated with 48 woodcut maps, the standard 27 Ptolemaic maps supplemented by 21 new maps. These new maps included a separate map of each of the known continents and marked the development of regional cartography in Central Europe. The antique geography was a prelude to Munster's major work, the Cosmographia, which was published in nearly 30 editions in six languages between 1544 and 1578 and then was revised and reissued by Sebastian Petri from 1588 to 1628. The Cosmographia was a geographical as well as historical and ethnographic description of the world. It contained the maps from the Geographia plus additional regional maps and city views with nearly 500 illustrations which made it one of the most popular pictorial encyclopedias of the sixteen century.

Bird's-eye view of Venice and the surrounding islands from a French edition of this influential 16th century history of the world. Rendered in the unique woodblock style with the calm lagoon contrasting with the roiling seas outside the sandbanks that protect the city. Two text blocks describe the city and its history. French text on verso.

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Condition: B+

Minor toning and soiling with a stain at far right and some show-through of text on verso. A portion of the title aboe the map was not properly inked, resulting in loss of a few letters. There is a professionally repaired chip in the bottom margin. Professionally remargined at right due to the sheet being trimmed just within the neatline by the bookbinder.