In Claudii Ptolemaei Geographiacae Enarrationis Libri octo.

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Metropolitan Museum of's Drawings and Prints department, where we showcase *In Claudii Ptolema Geographiacae Enrationis Libri oct*, a remarkable 1525 edition of Ptolemy's ancient geographical treatise. Printed on March 30, 1525, in Strasbourg by Johann Grüninger under the scholarly oversight of humanist Willibald Pirckheimer, volume revives the 2nd-century AD Greek scholar's *Geography*. Adorned with intricate woodcut maps and illustrations by Renaissance masters Albrecht Dürer and Daniel Hopfer, it measures 16 1/8 x 10 11/16 x 1 3/4 inches and exemplifies the fusion of science and art in the early modern era. Ptolemy's work, rediscovered in the 15th century, revolutionized cartography by introducing systematic map projections and coordinates, influencing explorers like Columbus. This edition, acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1920, features 28 meticulously crafted woodcuts—Dürer's precise, Northern Renaissance style blending mathematical accuracy with artistic flair, while Hopfer's contributions add dynamic etching-like detail to the prints. Woodcuts, a dominant medium for book illustration, allowed for durable, high-volume reproduction, making complex scientific knowledge accessible to scholars and navigators alike. As a cultural milestone, this book bridges antiquity and the Age of Discovery, highlighting the Renaissance drive to reclaim classical wisdom through innovative printing. Visitors, imagine poring over these maps that shaped the world as Europe expanded— a testament to human curiosity! (218 words)

About the Artist

Albrecht Dürer|Daniel Hopfer|Claudius Ptolemaeus|Willibald Pirckheimer|Johannes Koberger|Willibald Pirckheimer|Johann Grüninger · 1471–1528

Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528) stands as the preeminent figure of the Northern Renaissance and arguably the most influential artist in the history of printmaking. Born in Nuremberg on May 21, 1471, and dying in the same city on April 6, 1528, Dürer revolutionized the status of the artist in Northern Europe, transforming printmaking from a commercial craft into an independent fine art and establishing ...