Diogo Homem’s Atlas 1561

When one thinks of the origins of the fantastic works of cartography that were produced during the Renaissance, murder does not usually come to mind. Diogo Homem (1521–76), also spelled Homen, was exiled from Portugal because of his complicity in a murder, what his exact role was in unclear, but he fled first to England and later to Venice. While living in the “City of Water”, which is really a series of islands connected by bridges and canals, Homem created some of the finest works of 16th century cartography. His portolan charts, nautical maps with a windrose network designating a series of sailing directions between ports, were both revolutionary in their accuracy and masterful in their artistry. The lands depicted have elegantly colored coastlines, contain local flags and escutcheons, cityscapes and mountains, as well as intricate compass roses. The quality of his work is widely recognized and exhibited in museums and collections in Italy, Austria, Great Britain, France, the United States, and in his native Portugal. Homem’s 34-page atlas published in 1561 is a collection of some of his best works and offers a wonderful inside glimpse into the fine art and science of Renaissance cartography.