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Exceedingly rare Lafreri map of the Atlantic engraved by Paolo Forlani and published by Camocio. The central compass rose, rhumb lines, and stippled sea all add to this stunning map. Tipped into a larger sheet of paper by the publisher.

The genesis of this map begins fifteen years earlier in 1545. It is based on a small but extremely important map issued in Pedro de Medina’s “Arte the Nauegar” or “ The Art of Navigation”. This was a compilation of navigation instructions, piloting tips and sailing suggestions for mariners to the Indies, both eastern and western, published in Seville. The work was issue in eight volumes and was the first book of its type. It became hugely successful and influential, with several translations in French, English and Italian. The Medina map was small, only approximately 14 x 25cm (5.5 x 10 inches). However, it showed several important details in the New World as well as a strong depiction of the Papal line of demarcation between the Spanish and Portuguese possessions in the Americas and the Far East as settled by the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494.

In 1553, Nicolas de Nicolay compiled a French translation of the above work which also included a map. Geographically it covers the same region, mainly the Atlantic, featuring the northern half of South America, the east coast of North America, Great Britain and the west coast of Europe as well as northwest Africa. However, it has been substantially augmented, revised and improved. On the one hand, these geographical improvements showed an increased knowledge of the St. Lawrence River and the new names for several islands in the Gulf of Mexico; on the other hand, this map now separates the Yucatan Peninsula from the Central American mainland and shows the mythical island of Brazil east of the mouth of the St. Lawrence. As France did not recognise the Treaty of Tordesillas, the Papal line of demarcation is conspicuously absent.

Camocio’s version of this map, the example offered here for sale, was originally issued as a separate publication like most Italian maps of the Lafreri School. However, this example was printed and prepared for bound publication by the addition of contemporaneous margin extensions by the publisher, hence its survival. It has been engraved with trademark Italian flair by Paolo Forlani, arguably the finest engraver of the School. Although small differences exist between the Nicolay map and this version, on the whole it is the same. Indeed, Camocio credits Nicolay on the lower right corner.

All versions of this map are very rare, particularly outside of a bound volume.

[AMER2022]