Sebastian Munster. Die Lander Asie... c. 1550s

Sebastian Münster (1488–1552)
Die Länder Asie...
From Cosmographia Universalis, Basel, 1544–1572
Woodcut on paper
[Sheet size: 12 1/2 x 14 5/8 in.]

This early woodcut map of Asia, published in Sebastian Münster’s landmark Cosmographia Universalis, reflects the European understanding of the East during a period of intense curiosity, speculation, and emerging global awareness. As one of the first widely distributed encyclopedic works to incorporate cartographic representations, Münster’s Cosmographia played a key role in shaping Renaissance Europe's perception of the wider world. The map presents a fantastical yet informative vision of the Asian continent—blending medieval traditions with new geographic discoveries brought back by traders and explorers. It stands as both a historical artifact of evolving cartographic knowledge and a testament to the expanding intellectual horizons of the 16th century.