Sigismundi Fürstens in Siebenbürgen Bildnuß. / Das Sechszte Buch

Title

Sigismundi Fürstens in Siebenbürgen Bildnuß. / Das Sechszte Buch

The illustration shows the bust of Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania, in armor with a helmet and scepter. Description in German: 'Of the fertility of Transylvania.' The back describes the people of Transylvania from Ceculia or Zeckenland, Hermenstatt (Hermannstadt), Cronenstatt (Kronstadt), and Tergovista/Tervis (Tergoviste).

ca. 1588

Artist

Münster (1489-1552)

Sebastian Münster (1489–1552) was a leading Renaissance cosmographer. His most famous work, the Cosmographia (1544), was a comprehensive description of the world with 24 maps, based on research dating back to 1528. Continuously revised, the 1550 edition already included many new maps. It was the first scientific yet accessible world description published in German, illustrated with numerous woodcuts by artists such as Hans Holbein the Younger. Between 1544 and 1650, the Cosmographia appeared in 46 editions (27 in German) and was translated into several languages. Münster’s work combined the knowledge of scholars, artists, and travelers and remained influential long after his death.