Fabulous Journeys and Faraway Places: Travels on Paper 1450�1700
Introduction image: compass rose Biblical, Allegorical, and Fantasy Travel image: compass rose Travel to Rome, Constantinople, and the Holy Land image: compass rose Further Marvels of the East and West " "
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In the fifteenth century, European artists were able for the first time to make multiple copies of printed works on paper. These images, as single leaves or bound in volumes, were easily distributed among the population and conveyed ideas and information about all subjects, including foreign lands and daring journeys. By the sixteenth century, commercial print publishers made a substantial living producing woodcuts and engravings of places that were of special interest to their stay-at-home clients. Since these prints were the only source of such knowledge for most people, they provide our best insight into early concepts of travel and distant lands.