Zone d'identification
Nom et localisation du dépôt
Niveau de description
Folder
Titre
Map: Nouvelles isles
Date(s)
- undated (1552) (Production)
Importance matérielle
Nom du producteur
Notice biographique
Zone du contenu et de la structure
Portée et contenu
"This is a fascinating and evocative woodcut image of islands, ships and sea monsters, illustrating a text describing Christopher Columbus’ 1492 voyage across the Atlantic. It appeared in Sebastian Münster's Cosmographia beginning in 1550 and appears here in an early French text edition of the work. Here depicted is an archipelago, surrounded with turbulent seas. Some of the islands appear to be forbiddingly rocky, while others are peppered with trees and hills, some graced with European-styled walled cities. Several sea monsters prowl the archipelago, one resembling a giant seahog, and a sea serpent menacing a sailing ship, which fires its cannon to drive the monster away. Two small sailboats and another great sailing ship also sail between the islands. From one of the islands, a robed figure approaches the shore, as if to greet one of the sailing craft. There is nothing in the image to indicate any specific location, and none of the details in the image correspond directly to any of the details in the accompanying text. So on its own, it would be incorrect to describe this as a literal representation of any specific place. Rather, it is an imaginative representation of sea voyages, the dangers associated with them, and the wonders that might be encountered. In the context of the text, however, this assessment changes slightly." –Description from Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, bookseller