odditiesoflife:Medieval and Renaissance Sea Monsters from MapsA visually stunning new book, Sea Mons

odditiesoflife:Medieval and Renaissance Sea Monsters from MapsA visually stunning new book, Sea Monsters on Medieval and Renaissance Maps, covers a topic of history, that until now, has not been published in a comprehensive collection. The book’s author Chet Van Duzer, a Medieval and Renaissance map scholar, joined forces with the British Library, who published the book. The book’s jacket liner bests explains its content: “The sea monsters on medieval and Renaissance maps are one of the most visually engaging elements, and yet they have never before been carefully studied. The subject is important not only in the history of cartography, art, and zoological illustration, but also in the history of the geography of the marvelous and of Western conceptions of the ocean. Moreover, the sea monsters depicted on maps can supply important insights into the sources, influences, and methods of the cartographers who drew or painted them.” {Book jacket liner notes 2013 ©The British Library}source -- source link

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