Atlas of the Worlds

Atlas of the Worlds

For centuries, cartographic works were among the most valuable and expensive possessions of wealthy families. Not only was their content particularly valuable, it was also the extraordinary art of their production that made them so coveted. Often magnificently decorated, their appearance alone bore witness to this luxury. One of these fascinating works of art is the Atlas of the Worlds from the workshop of Battista Agnese (ca. 1500–1564). It is an outstanding testimony to this appreciation and is associated with the influential Martinengo family clan.

A Status Symbol for a Powerful Renaissance Family

The Martinengos were one of the most powerful families in 16th century Brescia. While the city was under the rule of the Republic of Venice, the family gained a reputation for constantly supplying the Venetian army with condottieri and infantry captains from their own ranks. A member of this important family commissioned the Atlas of the Worlds and thus acquired a splendid status symbol.

A masterpiece by Battista Agnese

The work was created in the famous Venetian workshop of Battista Agnese. The cartographer from Genoa is regarded as one of the most accomplished and productive cartographers of the 16th century and was responsible for dozens of high-quality cartographic works. As in Agnese's other works, cosmographic and cartographic images are the primary language of the atlas, which also incorporates contemporary geographical knowledge of the time – such as the Isthmus from Panama to Peru. Its depiction is also a remarkable historical testimony to the importance of Peruvian mineral resources and their trade for the Republic of Venice.

Gold-decorated Maps

The ornate atlas begins with a golden diagram of the twelve zodiac signs, which catch the eye in dark blue. It is followed by nine nautical charts, first showing the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, followed by maps of the coastlines of the British Isles and the Iberian Peninsula. A central component are the three impressively accurate nautical charts of the Mediterranean, followed by a depiction of the Black Sea. The work concludes with Agnese's famous world map in oval projection, decorated at the edges with the twelve classical compass winds in the form of putti, depicted with their names in Latin and Greek. All the maps are in a delicate golden frame and have been artfully created with vibrant colors. A true masterpiece of cartography!