Sebastian Münster
Birdseye View of Cusco, 1572
12 x 15 in
30 x 38 cm
30 x 38 cm
SAM3602
Striking imaginary panoramic map of Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire. Munster's inclusion of this panoramic map of Cuzco reflected the 16th century European fascination for the Inca Empire...
Striking imaginary panoramic map of Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire.
Munster's inclusion of this panoramic map of Cuzco reflected the 16th century European fascination for the Inca Empire and Spanish activities in the New World. The map is based almost exactly on the same plate produced by Giovanni Ramusio in his "Raccolta de Navigationi e Viaggi", which included the flamboyant Italian title in the ribbon above the map.
Rather famously, the original image is based on a written description, hence its rather European appearance.
This example is from the 1572 edition of Munster's "Cosmographia". [SAM3602]
Munster's inclusion of this panoramic map of Cuzco reflected the 16th century European fascination for the Inca Empire and Spanish activities in the New World. The map is based almost exactly on the same plate produced by Giovanni Ramusio in his "Raccolta de Navigationi e Viaggi", which included the flamboyant Italian title in the ribbon above the map.
Rather famously, the original image is based on a written description, hence its rather European appearance.
This example is from the 1572 edition of Munster's "Cosmographia". [SAM3602]
