Map of the Iberian Peninsula

About this artwork

Rond tafelstuk met een kaart van het Iberische schiereiland. De kaart is geschilderd op de achterzijde van het dekglas, dat rust op leistenen plaat. Het geheel is gevat in een verguld zilveren montuur, dat aan de buitenzijde is gedecoreerd met een meander en leeuwenkoppen, en wordt gedragen door zes verguld bronzen sfinxen.

Art Historical Context

Augustin Hirschvogel, renowned 16th-century German artist cartographer known for his intricate engravings and glass paintings, created this exquisite *Map of the Iberian Peninsula around 1553. round table piece (12 cm high, 61 cm in diameter) served as a luxurious decorative object, blending artistry with early modern geography. The map is meticulously in reverse on the back of a protective glass cover, resting atop a slate plate for stability—a technique that protected the delicate artwork while allowing clear viewing and adding depth through the glass. Crafted during the Renaissance, when mapmaking evolved from medieval sketches to precise tools of empire and exploration, the piece is encased in an ornate gilded silver frame. Its exterior boasts classical motifs like meandering patterns and fierce lion heads, supported by six gilded bronze sphinxes—mythical guardians evoking ancient grandeur. This opulent mounting highlights the era's fusion of scientific precision with lavish ornamentation, making it a status symbol for Europe's elite. As Spain and Portugal dominated global trade and discovery under Habsburg rule, such maps symbolized power and curiosity. Hirschvogel's work, blending technical cartography with artistic flair, offers a window into a world on the cusp of the Age of Exploration, inviting visitors to ponder the ambitions etched into its shimmering surface.

About the Artist

Augustin Hirschvogel · 1503–1553

Augustin Hirschvogel (1503–1553) was born in Nuremberg into a prominent family of stained-glass painters who dominated the city's glass workshops during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The son of Veit Hirschvogel the Elder (1461–1525), Nuremberg's official glazier who executed designs after Albrecht Dürer and Hans von Kulmbach, Augustin trained as a glass painter in his father's workshop. ...