A Mirror of the World: Five Centuries of Geographical Atlases
[The Ñoasts of Central America]
1 pl. 41,2õ53,4 cm
The map covers the north-east part of the Pacific Ocean, the coasts of Central America (California, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Isthmus of Panama) and the north-west extremity of South America.
The map has four 32-point compass roses with crosses indicating the east which are a common feature of all Portuguese nautical charts.
There are illustrations: vessels, fishes, perspective representations of towns and figures of rulers. The map includes the coat of arms of Spain.
From:[Atlas Universal. 1565]. Barcelona: M. Moleiro, 2002
1 vol.(19 pl.) 46õ30 cm
Shelfmark: Ê 4-Ìèð-28/3794
It is a facsimile edition of a manuscript atlas of the renowned Portuguese map-maker Diogo Homem from the collection of the Manuscripts Department of the National Library of Russia, produced through the joint efforts of the Library and the publishing house Manuel Moleiro Editor, in Barcelona.
The wold atlas comprises ninteenth plates (sixteen map plates, including two maps of the world, a calendar, the zodiac circle, and an astronomical table). It is the second largest atlas by Homem. This atlas was not really used aboard ship; instead, its content, scales, decoration and purpose suggests that it is an universal reference work.
The ornamentation of the atlas clearly shows traditions of the Portuguese cartographic school. All maps are characterized by drawn scales of distance in leagues and numerous ornate compass roses.
Diego Homem's atlases were some of the best works of the Golden Age of the Portuguese cartography, based on the results of many years of the Great Geographical Discoveries by the Portuguese. They are some of the impressive examples of the manuscript atlases, which were soon replaced by Dutch printed atlases.
Supplement: Atlas Universal [Commentaries]/Marques A.P., Kildushevskaya L. Barcelona, 2002.
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