Lot 220
16th C. German Woodcuts - 11 Prints of Muenster & Ovid
16th C. German Woodcuts - 11 Prints of Muenster & Ovid
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Europe, Germany, Renaissance to Early Modern period, ca. 16th to 17th century CE. A collection of eleven woodblock prints from Renaissance and early modern Germany. Ten prints originate from different editions of Sebastian Muenster's monumental work "Cosmographia" (nine from German-language editions and one from a Latin edition), while one depicts the legendary Hunt of the Calydonian Boar, taken from an edition of Ovid's "Metamorphoses". Muenster's "Cosmographia", first published in Basel in 1544, was one of the most influential encyclopedic works of the sixteenth century. It provided readers with an ambitious survey of geography, natural history, ethnography, and world knowledge, illustrated throughout with hundreds of lively woodcuts. These included city views, maps, battle scenes, and allegorical imagery, making it a key vehicle for shaping Renaissance Europe's visual understanding of the world. Size of largest print: 6" W x 5" H (15.2 cm x 12.7 cm); of largest matte: 10.6" W x 7.6" H (26.9 cm x 19.3 cm)
The book was published in numerous editions in both German and Latin, each with slightly varied sets of illustrations.
The present group reflects this range, with dynamic depictions of battles, fortified cities, and landscapes filled with soldiers and armaments, demonstrating the martial and civic themes often emphasized in the "Cosmographia". The additional print, drawn from Ovid's "Metamorphoses", shows the dramatic Hunt of the Calydonian Boar, a classical myth involving heroes such as Atalanta and Meleager. This subject was a popular motif in Renaissance art, embodying human bravery and the dangers of divine wrath.
Together, these eleven prints exemplify both the didactic and decorative roles of woodcut illustration in early printed books. They provide a vivid glimpse into the visual culture of early modern Europe, where text and image combined to transmit knowledge, myth, and historical imagination to a wide audience.
Provenance: private Fort Collins, Colorado, USA collection
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#197317
- Condition: All prints have been cut-out from books and adhered to construction or backing paper. Some discoloring, markings, and staining throughout. Imagery is mostly clear throughout. Inscriptions from previous owner throughout which incorrectly date the prints to 1541 and 1480. Tearing and losses to mounting papers.
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