A rare and magnificent 18th-century portolan chart of the Portuguese Empire,
produced at the time of the Atlantic slave trade
VIANNA, Manoel José.
[Manuscript portolan chart of the Atlantic Ocean, including Western Europe, South America, and West Africa].
Porto, 1786. Chart ca. 86 x 68 cm; frame ca. 101 x 83.5 cm. Detailed manuscript portolan chart in ink and paint and/or ink wash in green, yellow, red, and brown on vellum. The chart is drawn within a red washed border and shows the detailed coastlines of the east coast of South America, the west coast of Africa, and the west coast of northwest Europe up to the Netherlands and including Great Britain and Ireland. The coasts are drawn in sections alternatingly in yellow, green, and red ink. Principal regions are added in large decorative script, coastal towns, cities, and capes are added in a small cursive hand. Also depicted are a detailed split graticule indicating longitude and latitude, intricate rhumb lines, islands, dangerous rocky outcrops (marked vegia (= vigia, meaning lookouts)), and inshore shoals. Further decorative elements in the chart are the flags in Brazil (Portuguese coat-of-arms), Algeria (Ottoman Empire?), and West Africa (Dutch flag, upside down); the side view of Elmina Castle in west Africa, two half wind roses, elaborate rococo floral (fleur-de-lis) ornaments at the head of the chart and in South America. The banderole at the bottom of the chart contains the following text: "Manoel Joze Vianna a Fes no Porto" and below the year of production "1786". Framed in a gold-coloured frame and mounted on a cream cloth covered backboard. Full description
€ 135,000
Porto, 1786. Chart ca. 86 x 68 cm; frame ca. 101 x 83.5 cm. Detailed manuscript portolan chart in ink and paint and/or ink wash in green, yellow, red, and brown on vellum. The chart is drawn within a red washed border and shows the detailed coastlines of the east coast of South America, the west coast of Africa, and the west coast of northwest Europe up to the Netherlands and including Great Britain and Ireland. The coasts are drawn in sections alternatingly in yellow, green, and red ink. Principal regions are added in large decorative script, coastal towns, cities, and capes are added in a small cursive hand. Also depicted are a detailed split graticule indicating longitude and latitude, intricate rhumb lines, islands, dangerous rocky outcrops (marked vegia (= vigia, meaning lookouts)), and inshore shoals. Further decorative elements in the chart are the flags in Brazil (Portuguese coat-of-arms), Algeria (Ottoman Empire?), and West Africa (Dutch flag, upside down); the side view of Elmina Castle in west Africa, two half wind roses, elaborate rococo floral (fleur-de-lis) ornaments at the head of the chart and in South America. The banderole at the bottom of the chart contains the following text: "Manoel Joze Vianna a Fes no Porto" and below the year of production "1786". Framed in a gold-coloured frame and mounted on a cream cloth covered backboard. Full description
