The Beatus maps
Subtitle: the revelation of the world in the Middle Ages
By: Sandra Sáenz-López Pérez ; translated by Peter Krakenberger, Gerry Coldham
Publisher: Siloé arte y bibliofilia
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Burgos
Language: eng
Number of pages: 347
ISBN-13: 9788494199110
Subjects: Medieval Geography; Maps; Manuscript maps; Early works to 1800; Manuscripts; Manuscript World maps; Illustrations; Medieval Manuscripts; Cartography; History
Description: Towards the end of the eighth century, Beatus of Liébana composed the Commentary on the Apocalypse in the monastery of San Martín de Turieno. Although it has not come down to us in its original state, this work is well known thanks to the numerous copies of it that were made in succeeding centuries, and which have led to its status as one of the great creations of medieval art. The Beatus manuscripts are especially acclaimed on account of their expressive illustrations. Among them stands out the marvelous mappa mundi that displays the evangelization of the world by the apostles. This image, already present in the archetype manuscript, experienced an interesting evolution as the Commentary on the Apocalypse was copied and edited between the tenth and thirteenth centuries. Today fourteen of these mappae mundi are conserved, to which we may add other works of cartography derived from or related to them. All of these maps constitute the object of the scrutiny of this book, which studies their evolution attending not only to the manuscript context in which they appear, but also to the European cartographic context. so as to arrive duly at a reconstruction of the original eight century Beatus map.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 323-342) and index.
Table of contents: title: Beatus of Liébana, his Commentary on the Apocalypse and the manuscripts which contain the mappa mundi; title: The mappae mundi of the Beatus codices; title: The elements of the physical geography of the world; title: The apostolic lands; title: The fabled lands; title: Regions, provinces and cities; title: The world between the eighth and thirteenth centuries and the Beatus mappae mundi, by way of conclusion.