From arguably the most gifted Renaissance cartographer: a major work of modern geography and a masterpiece of illumination
Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado
1571

Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado
— 1571
The Portuguese Fernão Vaz Dourado (ca. 1520 – ca. 1580) is considered one of the most talented cartographers of the Renaissance
His atlas contains some of the most artistically valuable and most modern geographic works of that time
In 1851, two of the sheets were stolen, the remaining 18 pages of the valuable atlas are now kept in Lisbon
Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado
- Atlas universal de Fernão Vaz Dourado
- Weltatlas des Fernao Vaz Dourado
- Univeralatlas des Fernao Vaz Dourado
- Atlas universel de Fernão Vaz Dourado
- Atlante universale di Fernão Vaz Dourado
Short Description
The Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado arose in Portugal ca. 1571. Fernão Vaz Dourado is considered to be one of the most gifted cartographers of the Renaissance and his atlas contains some of the most artistically valuable and most modern geographic maps from Europe at that time. The maps were copied numerous times and served as a template for new and expanded maps.
Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado
Portugal plays a special role in the history of cartography. Since the beginning of the 16th century, Portuguese explorers set out into every land and sea in the world and opened up virtually unknown regions. In the course of this pioneering work, Portugal developed probably the most important cartography school of the European Renaissance. Since the 16th century, some of the most important geographical charts arose here, which served as the cornerstone for our modern geography and navigation. Fernão Vaz Dourado, one of the most famous and esteemed cartographers of his time, recorded in his world atlas all of the geographic findings of his time and designed it in the most beautiful and artistically appealing manner.
Who was Fernão Vaz Dourado?
Fernão Vaz Dourado was a Portuguese cartographer, whose work is positioned in the last phase of handwritten cartography. His maps depicted continents and lands very realistically and in great detail, which is extremely impressive for a time without modern technical resources. Each of his individual large-format maps impresses through its unusual quality and beauty. Experts consider him to be probably the greatest cartographer of the Renaissance.
Geographic Templates
The Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado was produced taking into account the most modern geographic facts and rules of its time of creation. Its maps serve not only as practical resources for the journey by land and water – they were absolute masterpieces of medieval book art. After the discovery of the book printing, the painting-like maps were reproduced in every region of Europe. New maps were made using them as a basis, which broadened the impressive findings. Originally, this world atlas consisted of 20 vellum maps. However, two of the maps were stolen in 1851 and remain missing to this day. The remainder of the 18 sheets of the valuable atlas are housed in the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo in Lisbon.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Atlas universal de Fernão Vaz Dourado
Weltatlas des Fernao Vaz Dourado
Univeralatlas des Fernao Vaz Dourado
Atlas universel de Fernão Vaz Dourado
Atlante universale di Fernão Vaz Dourado - Type
- Map on parchment
- Size / Format
- Original atlas contained 20 parchment sheets. Folios 1 (frontispiece) and 8 (Eastern part of the Mediterranean) were stolen in 1851 from the atlas housed in Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Lisbon. / 53.0 x 41.0 cm
- Date
- 1571
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 18 maps
- Content
- Original atlas contained 20 parchment sheets. Folios 1 (frontispiece) and 8 (Eastern part of the Mediterranean) were stolen in 1851 from the atlas housed in Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo, Lisbon.
- Artist / School
- Fernão Vaz Dourado (1520–1580)
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Universal Atlas of Fernão Vaz Dourado“
Atlas universal de Fernão Vaz Dourado
- Publisher
- M. Moleiro Editor – Barcelona, 2012
- Limited Edition
- 987 copies
- Binding
- 18 sheets in slipcase
- Commentary
-
1 volume by João Carlos Garcia, Amélia Polónia, Maria Fernanda Alegria, Alexandra Curvelo, Sónia Domingos, Teresa Araújo and Ana Fialho
Language: Spanish - More Information
- Facsimile Commentary 1. North-west of Europe, with Scandinavia, Iceland and the British Isles 2. Coasts of Western Europe and North-West Africa with the western Mediterranean and the Antarctic archipelagos 3. Western coast of Africa, north of the equator 4. Africa, south of the equator 5. Indian Ocean south-western archipelago 6. The Red Sea, Arabia and India 7. Eastern Asia from Ceylon to Japan 8. Eastern Archipelago [Southeast Asia and New Guinea] 9. Part of the Central Pacific, and the north coast of New Guinea 10. Terra Nova and neighbouring regions 11. West Indies and Central America 12. Eastern coast of South America from the Amazon to the River Plate 13. South part of South America, from the mouth of the River Plate to the Strait of Magellan 14. Part of the western coast of South America [including Peru] 15. Gulf of California with part of the coast to the north and to the south [including coast of Mexico] 16. Cosmographic data 17 and 18. Solar declination tables.
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