Lucas Brandis de Schass

The events of Lucas Brandis de Schass’ life remain obscure. ‘The Rudimentum Novitiorum’ (1475) is his most famous publication. This map presents a bird’s-eye view of the known world and embodies the theological perspective of late Medieval Christianity. It depicts the continents as four quadrants of circle. Palestine is placed in the centre of the composition, expressing the Christan belief that Jerusalem was the ‘navel of the world’ and the site of sacred events such as Christ’s Passion. Regions are depicted as rolling hills amongst the flowing sea and are labelled in Latin. Different geographies are signified through representations of their architecture. Christian figures of varying status such as Bishops and humble pilgrims populate the map.