Within the black frame, the city-view map of Frankfurt an der Oder shows the bird’s-eye view of the Oder river, seen from one side. The image has black and white woodblock print as a base layer and on top of it are the coloring and shading added to the image by hands. This map is outstanding due to its two fold artistic interventions coming together from different artists -- the one who does the woodcut print and the one who does coloring. Other similar woodcut prints of Frankfurt an der Oder are often either without the coloring or are colored with one tone of color and lack the shading.

In the background of the image is a two-colored sky with blue above and white below. Darker blue color is painted on the space where the print of the carved lines is more concentrated in the sky. Some lighter blue clouds take up the sky’s upper space and different styles of shading help define their forms. Covering most of the sky’s space, a large twisting pinkish ribbon banner with fancy font, printed “Frankfurt an der Oder 1548” and “ANNO DNI” -- which is anno domini or in the year of the Lord, is floating. This is the only place on the map with German words. On the white space of the sky, there are black printed letters, possibly suggesting the names of the buildings and spaces below them.

Below the sky, which is decorated with the sinuous elegant ribbon banner, lie the fertile land and city of Frankfurt an der Oder. Behind the mostly bright brick-orange colored architecture, there are green mountains with plowed fields, dark green trees, and bushes. Some simple huts are scattered throughout the area. Although these mountains show a separate agricultural zone behind the city, the map has no atmospheric perspective due to the limitations of woodblock printing. In the city, a cluster of buildings contains various kinds of architecture. The left side of the city seems to be less populated for there are fewer buildings and more trees, while the rest of the city contains mostly buildings. Most of the buildings which seem to be religious spaces have their names accompanying them on the white sky.

In the middle ground of the map, the Oder river takes up most of the space. A wooden bridge with a red-roof fort, coming out of the city in the background, connects it to the land in the foreground. The light blue Oder river contains some darker blue markings to create more dimensions and some shading to create the wave lines and the river’s movements. In the river, like the white sky, there are words printed along with the images. Some boats are scattered in the river and some are assembled at the waterfront of the city. Some lumber is also being transported in the Oder.

In the foreground of the map, there are unpaved roads -- one with words on it as if to address its name or to point out which direction it leads to. On this side of the Oder, it seems that it is less developed when compared to the other side, since there are scattered pieces and piles of lumber all over. The roads seem to be full of dirt and rocks. Although this side of the river is obviously less populated with monasteries or even human habitations, the collective progress to create a civilized German city is continuing.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating elements of this city-view map is the people who are dwarfed by the landscape. Some of them are rowing their boats, some are walking, riding horses, carrying things, cutting wood, and fishing. These people are performing their daily activities without being aware that they are watched by the painter or the map maker. This German landscape is portrayed with its distinct natural and cultural elements, as Sebastian Münster wanted to display German towns with their local specificity.

The source and date are derived from the information provided by the donor.
(Saly Sirothphiphat’ 21)
]]>
2. OCLC: 22248296
Historic Cities (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)]]>
Meurer, Peter H. “Cartography in the German Lands, 1450-1650.” In The History of Cartography Vol. 3, edited by David Woodward, 1209-1213. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Van Putten, Jasper. Networked Nation : Mapping German Cities in Sebastian Münster’s “Cosmographia." Leiden ;: Brill, 2018, pp.18-20.

Woodward, David. “Techniques of Map Engraving, Printing, and Coloring in the European Renaissance.” In The History of Cartography Vol. 3, edited by David Woodward, 1209-1213. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.
]]> Special Collections (Flat Files) ; G5700 1400-1800 Map 09]]>
The focus of the chart is Earth as the center of the universe. Earth is represented by an image of baby Jesus Christ lying on the ground. Jesus is surrounded by two women, one of which is Mary. Mary has a halo around her head while the other woman’s hair is covered by cloth. Rolling hills lie behind Jesus with houses and foliage as background detail. Ruffled cloth is drawn to surround this image of Jesus.

Outside Earth is a series of concentric circles divided into 36 segments. The outermost circle contains a symbol of each zodiac sign with Gemini at the top. The closest circle to Earth depicts the moon in the same segment as Taurus, the next contains Mercury which is portrayed between Sagittarius and Capricorn, the next contains Venus with Aquarius, followed by the Sun, again depicted between Sagittarius and Capricorn, Mars under Aries, Jupiter between Libra and Virgo, and lastly Saturn under Gemini. Each celestial body occupies a circle further from Earth at the center as the bodies presumably got further from Earth. The moon and sun have symbols of their own rather than the six-pointed star symbol used for the other five planets in the solar system.

Because the planets appear static in a constantly moving solar system and because Jesus Christ as the centerpiece of the chart, it can be assumed that this chart depicts Christ's horoscope from the day he was born. A hand is seen under the horoscope representing someone holding up the horoscope to the reader of the book. The rest of the page is left blank while a rectangular border encompasses the horoscope and the hand.

This chart was created by Stephan Fridolin and Michael Wolgemut as a guide for nuns at the Convent of Saint Klara in Nuremberg to enhance their passion for Christianity. The visuals in Schatzbehalter were created to be meditated upon by nuns which would give them enlightenment and knowledge through extensive observation of the woodcuts. Notably, the Schatzbehalter was published during the German reform period and was reproduced and shared by nuns to strengthen the spiritual life of the German people.

This chart symbolizes the massive progress made in astronomy during the medieval period. Most early medieval star charts, including this one, contained simple information based mostly on ancient texts rather than observation of the stars. Through the 16th century, much more emphasis was placed on observation of the night sky, and books such as star atlases were published that mapped the night sky and its constellations. The 16th century also saw the movement from geocentrism to heliocentrism disproving the planetary model depicted in the Treasury of the True Riches of Salvation.

The chart is an important example of evolving medieval technology as it relies on both printmaking techniques and astronomical practices. Michael Wolgemut was especially important to the printing community as he mentored Albrecht Dürer who was important in developing engraving technology and technique.

(Liam Atkins 2024)]]> Schatzbehalter. Portland, Or: Collegium Graphicum, 1972.]]> ]]> Digitized Copy at the Library of Congress]]> Breitenbach, Almut, and Stefan Matter, “Image, Text, and Mind: Franciscan Tertiaries Rewriting Stephan Fridolin’s Schatzbehalter in the Pütrichkloster in Munich,” in Nuns’ Literacies in Medieval Europe: The Antwerp Dialogue, edited by Virginia Blanton, Veronica O’Mara, and Patricia Stoop. Brepolis Publishers, 2017.

British Museum. “Das buoch das der schrein od' schatzbehalter heisset.” Last modified June, 2011. https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1904-0206-1-1-96

Edson, Evelyn, and Emilie Savage-Smith. Medieval Views of the Cosmos. Oxford: Bodleian Library, 2004.

Herlihy, Anna Friedman. “Renaissance Star Charts.” In Cartography in the European Renaissance, 99–122. University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Wolgemut, Michael. 2018. In The Columbia Encyclopedia, by Paul Lagasse and Columbia University, 8th ed. Columbia University Press, 2018.

Hall, Cynthia Anne. “Treasury Book of the Passion: Word and Image in the ‘Schatzbehalter.’” ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 2002.

]]> Carleton Library Special Collections (Books, Quarto) (BT590.I3 F7 1972)]]> When you look at the circle in God’s left hand, what do you see? To medieval cartographers, this three-part circle represented the earth. If you imagine the west facing up, the three sections represent continents: Asia on the bottom, Europe on the top right, and Africa on the top left. Categorized by historians as a T-O map, this minimalist portrayal of the earth is quite common in medieval manuscripts. The maps would vary between complete simplicity – like the one you see – and striking complexity where the T-O design only provides skeletal structure. But in this case, the T-O map is a simple symbol in a larger image. An adjacent Latin inscription informs us that this is an image of God on the first day, creating the heavens and the earth. The T-O map in his left hand symbolizes the newly created earth. (Taylor Gee '16, Sarah Trachtenberg '17)

]]> The Morgan Crusader Bible, ed. Daniel H. Weiss. Lucerne: Faksimile Verlag, Luzern, 1998.]]> Carleton Library, Special Collections (Folio) ND3355.5.K74 K74 1998]]> The Canterbury Psalter, ed. M.R. James. London: P. Lund, Humpries & Co, 1935.]]> Carleton Library, Special Collections (Books, Quarto) BX2033.C3 J3 1935]]> Perhaps the most striking characteristic of the highly schematized mappamundi in the Codex Urgellensis is its representation of mountains, rivers, and seas as the most important boundaries and geographical landmarks. The Mediterranean Sea dominates the center of the map and separates Europe on the left and Africa on the right. The Garden of Eden, signified by a rectangle containing the naked Adam and Eve accompanied by a serpent, is prominently featured and located conspicuously close to the holy city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the only colored landmark on an otherwise monochrome map, representing its Biblical significance. On the right side of the map is a fourth continent, sandwiched between two oceans. This unique representation of the known world covers two parchment pages, and provides the geographical context for the text in the manuscript, Beatus of Liébiana’s Commentary on the Apocalypse of Saint John.

Pat Chirathivat '16 and Nora Katz '16

]]> Beatus de Liébiana Codex Urgellensis, ed. Peter Klein. Madrid: Testimonio Compañia Editorial, 1997.]]> Carleton Library, Special Collections (Horizontal Shelving) BS2825.A2 B.37 1997]]>
In Europe various regions have flags depicting ownership, while in Africa and Asia large depictions of seated figures in tents show the local rulers. The Indian Ocean is open, unlike in from Ptolemy's description. In it, there are large numbers of circular red and blue islands, a ship, and several mermaids.

The Mediterranean region is almost completely a portolan chart with Sicily and several other islands having detailed coasts and internal cities. The ocean clearly goes all the way around Europe, Africa and Asia. Throughout the map, cities are portrayed as a collection of towers sometimes with mosques depending on the region. Mountain ranges are depicted in green, and the Atlas mountains are very prominent on the map. Africa gets very narrow below West Africa before widening out into a crescent shape that is almost entirely unlabeled. (Oscar Smith '20)]]> Mapamundi catalán, ca. 1450, ed.
Ernesto Milano and Annalisa Battini. Barcelona: M. Moleiro 1996.]]> The World Map 1300-1492: The Persistence of Tradition and Transformation. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2007.]]> Special Collections (Flat Files) ; G6714.R7 .A57 1645]]> ]]> Mapas d México en el Archivo d Indias Sevilla. Madrid: Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte : Testimonio Compañía Editorial, 2002.]]> Map of New Galicia at New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs Media Center]]> Special Collections (Horizontal Shelving) ; G4411.A1 1550 M3 2002]]> Included in the Codex Altonensis, this diagram functions as a map of Dante’s passage through hell. Flanked by images of Dante and Virgil entering and subsequently exiting hell, the main body of the map consists of a descending spiral of text describing the steps of Dante’s journey. At the center, the map transitions to visual representation, depicting a three-faced Satan devouring Cassius, Brutus, and Judas at the center of Hell. The concentric rings and circular format of the map ressemble a cosmographical map, closely linking the manuscript to a contemporaneously recognizable scientific discourse.

Dante’s Divinia Commedia, though a literary work, depended heavily on the realistic conceptualization of space, especially in the Inferno section. This primed the work for illustrative mapping, which was a common practice when crafting manuscripts of the text in the 14th century. (Patrick Wigent '19)]]> Divina Commedia: Codex Altonensis. Berlin: Gebr. Mann Verlag, 1965.]]> The History of Cartography, vol. 3, part 1 Cartography in the European Renaissance, ed. David Woodward, 450–460. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.]]> Carleton Gould Library Special Collections (Folio) PQ4301 .A1 1965]]> The Agas Map of London or Civitas Londinum, a woodcut printed from 8 blocks, presents a city view of London and its surrounding environs designed to be displayed on a wall. This 1633 work is a possible reproduction of an older copperplate map (of which only two plates survive), offering an explanation to the Agas Map’s lack of a clearly defined border.

The River Thames runs the entire width of the map, dividing the map and city into two sections; it is filled with numerous boats, London Bridge divides the river, containing ocean going ships on the right and numerous small barges and rowboats to the left. The mapmaker affirms London’s importance as a trading hub, the entrepot between the English hinterlands and the world, through the inclusion of such a diversity of vessels. Men lead encumbered pack animals into the river near the Styllyyarde and Tower of London. Large swans ply the river in the bottom left corner. The river’s current and waves are represented by numerous lines and hummocks, highlighting its tidal nature.

The map depicts the layout of the city streets separating blocks filled with small stylized homes. The mapmaker names the larger buildings like churches, guildhalls, and palaces, reproducing them as faithfully as possible. The map fans out upon leaving the city center, showing the surrounding roads, towns, and fields. The major roads and towns are named; the busiest roads and crossroads contain people. London’s position as a thriving and expansive city is emphasized by downplaying the city walls and highlighting the fertile outlands. Numerous people doing a multitude of activities (including dancing, milking cows, laundry, building, playing games, strolling, or hunting) populate the fields.

The mapmaker chooses to present the Royal Arms in the top left corner and the City of London’s arms in the top right corner, hoisted by two cherubs. The Corporation of the City of London may have played a role in the creation of the original map, attested to by the elaborate frame coupled with the map’s focus on London and de-emphasis of Westminster. The map highlights the wealth, power, and size of the City of London. (Benton Franklin '19)]]> Agas Map of London. London: Kodak Limited, 1976.]]>

https://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/agas.htm

]]> On the Causes of the Greatness and Magnificence of Cities. Translated by Geoffrey Symcox. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.

Worms, Laurence. "The London Map Trade to 1640." In History of Cartography, vol. 3, part 1, Cartography in the European Renaissance, ed. David Woodward, 1693-1721. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.

]]> Carleton Gould Library Special Collections (Flat Files) G1819.L7 C59 1976]]>
God the creator is cloaked in red and has elaborate gold and jewels around the neck. Their deep red cloak embraces creation and gives the impression of great power over the cosmos. Concentric circles of gold and red radiate from the creator’s head as bright rays.

The material cosmos occupies the center of the image beneath the creator and consists of three concentric circles, reflecting the Italian tradition of placing the spheres of the cosmos concentrically (Cosgrove 90). The first ring of the cosmos is blue-green with tightly stacked and fluid wavy lines. Perhaps it reflects the billowing cloud symbols used in medieval, religious, cosmographical diagrams to represent a boundary where human senses are obscured, or perhaps it is the waters above the firmament as outlined in the Genesis creation narrative (Cosgrove 90). Next is the second ring of the cosmos which is twice as thick as the first. This ring contains celestial bodies, clouds, and birds in flight, all of which can be perceived by man. Varying shades of blue dominate the ring and yellow is used as a sharp contrast to denote the celestial bodies—sun, moon, and stars.

The final sphere is a central Eden landscape which two human occupants, likely Adam and Eve. The figures are unclothed and surrounded by a green landscape and diverse wildlife. A body of blue water surrounds the landmass, and a sharp toothed sea creature occupies the bottom left waters. Four rivers radiate from the center of paradise (the Phison, Gehon, Tigris, and Euphrates). (Kaitlin Schaible '19)]]> Biblia, Das Ist, Die Gantze Heilige Schrifft Deudsch, ed. Stephan Füssel. Köln: Taschen, 2003.]]> https://www.smu.edu/~/media//Site/Bridwell/Exhibitions/ProthroBibles/Reformation/B-234Luther_1000.ashx]]> The History of Cartography, vol. 3, part 1, Cartography in the European Renaissance, ed. David Woodward. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987.]]> Carleton Gould Library, Special Collections (Books, Quarto) BS239 2003]]>