Nautical Chart by Mecia de Viladestes

Atlas of Charles V - Nautical Chart by Mecia de Viladestes – Siloé, arte y bibliofilia – Rés. GEAA 566 – Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris, France)

Mallorca (Spain) — 1413

Created by the Spanish cartographer Mecia de Viladestes and furnished with some of the first accurate representations of the North Atlantic: the mysterious routes of gold traders through the Sahara on a masterfully illuminated map

  1. The Spanish cartographer Mecia de Viladestes made a sea chart that set new standards of cartography in 1413

  2. The richly detailed map includes some of the first accurate depictions of the Northern Atlantic

  3. Of particular importance is the depiction of the mysterious routes of the gold merchants through the Sahara

Nautical Chart by Mecia de Viladestes

  1. Description
  2. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
Nautical Chart by Mecia de Viladestes

The Majorcan school of cartography produced some of the most important practitioners of their trade in the Late Middle Ages. One of the most important, Mecia de Viladestes, completed a sea chart that set new standards of cartography in 1413. Of particular importance for the famous sea chart by Mecia de Viladestes is the depiction of the Sahara. The Spanish cartographer was one of the few insiders who knew the mysterious routes of the gold merchants through the dangerous African desert. In addition, Mecia de Viladestes depicted several unknown islands and exceptional scenes in his groundbreaking map. The sea chart of Mecia de Viladestes is of exceptional significance for the history of cartography!

Map of Mecia de Viladestes

The Majorcan school of cartography produced some of the most important practitioners of their trade in the Late Middle Ages. One of the most important, Mecia de Viladestes, completed a sea chart that set new standards of cartography in 1413. Of particular importance for the famous sea chart by Mecia de Viladestes is the depiction of the Sahara. The Spanish cartographer was one of the few insiders who knew the mysterious routes of the gold merchants through the dangerous African desert. In addition, Mecia de Viladestes depicted several unknown islands and exceptional scenes in his groundbreaking map. The sea chart of Mecia de Viladestes is of exceptional significance for the history of cartography!

An Important Cartographer

Meccia de Viladeste was a Jewish cartographer in Spain who, like many others, converted to Christianity and undertook numerous research expeditions at the behest of the King of Aragon. He was ascribed to the so-called Majorcan school of cartography, which was predominant from the 13th to the 15th centuries and which produced a masterpiece of European cartography with the famous Catalan Atlas of 1375 by Cresques Abraham. This Catalan World Atlas, made for King Peter IV of Aragon, was gifted to the French King Charles V in 1380, which is why it is housed in the French National Library today. As a groundbreaking cartographic document, the sea chart of Mecia de Viladestes is no less significant.

An Artistic Highlight Too!

The map on vellum measures 115 x 85 cm and is dated 1413. It shows a region, which encompasses the northeast Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Black and Red Seas, as well as a part of the Persian Gulf, the Caspian Sea, and Baltic Sea. Wonderful illustrations supplement the numerous Catalonian descriptions that cover the portolan chart. Alongside cities and oases, watering holes and mountains, Africa is especially adorned with representations of camels, dark-skinned people, and four splendidly dressed African kings. Finally, the figure of John the Baptist kneels in the Nile Delta.

The River of Gold Through Africa

The fascination with Africa that already existed at the beginning of the 15th century is visualized by the map of Mecia de Viladestes. In Viladestes’ map, Africa stretches from West to East along the great rivers: the Senegal, Niger, and Niles. Caravans march through the desert to trade salt for gold with the desert tribes. This lucrative business was negotiated along top secret routes straight through the desert, which were only know to a few insiders. Viladestes knew these strictly secret locations in the desert where the caravans traded gold for salt. On the lower margin of his map, Viladestes attached explanations for the stages of the journey through the Sahara.

The North of the Seas

This exceptionally detailed information about the African continent was appended by an additional special feature of Viladestes’ sea chart. The Majorcan cartographer also depicted the northern regions of the Atlantic, whereof no maps were known in spite of the Hanseatic League. Viladestes integrated a wonderfully figurative scene there. Near Iceland, a small boat, having been unloaded from a large ship, nears an imposing whale in order to slay him with a harpoon. Upon closer inspection, a bishop can be recognized onboard the ship. This depiction could be of the legend of St. Brendan and thus interlinks religious legends with the reality of whaling.

Unknown Islands?

Mecia de Viladestes paid close attention to the islands in the Atlantic, which are depicted with great care and detail. There Viladestes distinguishes himself as an exceptional cartographer with the constant drive after the actualization of his knowledge in this time of great discoveries. He depicted several small islands at the river-mouth of the great African stream of gold. These were interpreted as the Cape Verde Islands, which were nevertheless first officially discovered in 1455. As a result, the sea chart of Mecia de Viladestes circumscribes the history of discovery! The sea chart of Mecia de Viladestes enchants in its entirety and in connecting with this variety of innovative notations. It is one of the most important maps from the famous and well known collection of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Carta Naútica de Mecia de Viladestes
Portulan de Mecia de Viladestes
Seekarte des Mecia de Viladestes
Meciá de Viladestes' Nautical Chart
Size / Format
1 map / 115.0 × 85.0 cm
Origin
Spain
Date
1413
Style
Artist / School
Previous Owners
Convent of Val de Cristo

Available facsimile editions:
Atlas of Charles V - Nautical Chart by Mecia de Viladestes – Siloé, arte y bibliofilia – Rés. GEAA 566 – Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris, France)
Siloé, arte y bibliofilia – Burgos, 2016
Limited Edition: 898 copies
Facsimile Editions

#1 Carta Naútica de Mecia de Viladestes

Siloé, arte y bibliofilia – Burgos, 2016

Publisher: Siloé, arte y bibliofilia – Burgos, 2016
Limited Edition: 898 copies
Commentary: 1 volume by Emmanuelle Vagnon
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Facsimile Copy Available!
Price Category: €€
(1,000€ - 3,000€)
You might also be interested in:
Estense World Map – M. Moleiro Editor – C.G.A.1 – Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (Modena, Italy)
Estense World Map
Probably Mallorca (Spain) – Ca. 1450

Imagining the world on the threshold of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance: empirical findings and fantastic images of the world in an artistic masterpiece of the Catalan cartographic school in Mallorca

Experience More
Map of Juan de la Cosa – Testimonio Compañía Editorial – MN 257 – Museo Naval (Madrid, Spain)
Map of Juan de la Cosa
Puerto de Santa María (Spain) – 1510

The world of Christopher Columbus and his travel companion: Juan de la Cosa's famous map showing all the regions of the Old and New Worlds known in Europe, as well as the first cartographic representation of the Americas

Experience More
Portulan C.G.A.5.b – Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – C.G.A.5.b – Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (Modena, Italy)
Portulan C.G.A.5.b
Mallorca (Spain) – 1450–1460

Precise coastlines and important landmarks for practical use at sea: an impressive medieval map by the famous Mallorcan cartographic school from the mid-15th century

Experience More
Portulan C.G.A.5.d – Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte – C.G.A.5.d – Biblioteca Estense Universitaria (Modena, Italy)
Portulan C.G.A.5.d
Mallorca (Spain) – Ca. 1450

The whole world at the time of the Renaissance in one map: the geographical knowledge of the 15th century in a magnificently illuminated sea chart from the famous cartographic school of Mallorca

Experience More
Portolan chart by Salvat de Pilestrina – Millennium Liber – Biblioteca de Castilla-La Mancha (Toledo, Spain)
Portolan chart by Salvat de Pilestrina
Majorca (Spain) – 1533

The Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula and Africa: a beautiful nautical chart from one of the main figures of 16th century Mallorcan cartography

Experience More
The 1439 Portolan Chart by Gabriel de Vallseca – Lumen Artis – Inv. 3236 – Museu Maritim (Barcelona, Spain)
The 1439 Portolan Chart by Gabriel de Vallseca
Mallorca (Spain) – 1439

A masterpiece of the Majorcan school of cartography with the first known depiction of the Azores: a map of the Atlantic from Scandinavia to Northwest Africa with real and imaginary islands

Experience More
Blog articles worth reading
Filter selection
Publisher