The Beatus mappa mundi is a medieval cartographic depiction originally created around AD 776 by the Spanish monk Beatus of Liébana (died 798). These maps accompanied his Commentarius in Apocalypsin and were copied in numerous manuscripts between the 10th and 13th centuries. The version shown in the image is a circular map oriented to the east, with distinctive features such as the depiction of the Mediterranean at the centre, the tripartite division of the known world (Asia, Europe and Africa) and theological elements such as the dispersal of the apostles after Pentecost. The Beatus maps have unique peculiarities, including the depiction of a fourth continent of the antipodes, a stylised version of Eden with Adam and Eve, and the marking of the apostles' tombs. About a dozen versions of these maps survive, representing a synthesis of geographical knowledge and the theological world view of the Middle Ages.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
How an Amalfi art print is made, what the frame is like, what museum glass is, how long shipping takes, and how returns work: we’ve gathered all the answers on a single page.
