1567 Sebastian Munster Hand-colored Map of Paris, France 'Der Statt Paris...'

Slide Slide
$825.0
Date Range
1500-1599
Type
City Map
Printing Technique
Woodcut
Original/Reproduction
Antique Original
Cartographer/Publisher
Sebastian Munster
City
Paris
Country/Region
France
Sebastian Munster's bird's-eye-view of Paris, first engraved in 1549, is one of the earliest printed depictions of the city. This woodcut map presents Paris as a walled city oriented to the southeast, with its focal point on the Ile de la Cite. The Seine River, cutting through the city like a spinal cord, divides the landscape. The view is enhanced with vibrant hand-coloring, highlighting intricate details and emphasizing notable landmarks, such as the city's heraldry. An ornamented legend in Gothic German flanks the view, identifying eight key structures, including the Royal Palace and Notre Dame Cathedral. A coat of arms bearing the royal fleurs-de-lis is prominently positioned in the upper right corner, underscoring Paris's royal significance. 

The primary source for Munster's map was the 'Plan Premier,' a monumental manuscript map of Paris created between 1523 and 1530. This source, which was regularly updated and maintained in city archives, served as the foundation for all seven 16th-century views of Paris, including Munster's. The Plan Premier was a crucial piece of Paris's cartographic history until its destruction in the 19th century, making Munster's work an invaluable record of the city's Renaissance-era urban layout. 

Publication information Originally created for the 1550 edition of Munster's Cosmographia, this woodcut is among the earliest printed views of Paris. It was executed by the Swiss formschneider Hans Rudolf Manuel Deutsch (1525-1571), whose initials HR MD appear in the lower right corner. His work exemplifies the high-quality craftsmanship that Munster commissioned for his renowned cartographic publications. This particular map comes from a German edition of Cosmographia Universalis, published in Basel in 1567. This monumental geographical and cosmological work succeeded Munster's earlier Geographia. Unlike the Latin-only Geographia, the Cosmographia was published in German, Latin, French, and Italian, making it accessible to a broader European audience. By 1567, the printing block for this map was beginning to exhibit signs of wear, attesting to its frequent use and enduring popularity.