This chart of the European continent belongs to a manuscript nautical atlas by Battista Agnese, a Genoese cartographer active in Venice in the mid-16th century. Dated 1 September 1553 and drawn in ink on parchment, it reflects the tradition of Mediterranean portolan charts, with a dense network of rhumb lines and coastlines meticulously drawn for navigation. The interior of the lands, by contrast, is decorated symbolically, with seated figures personifying kingdoms and regions and few inland place names, a sign of the centrality of sea routes for the Venetian elite. The work thus combines practical precision with a luxury function, intended for collectors and princes rather than ships' pilots.
Unique quality material
Print on handmade Amalfi paper Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm (11.4 x 16.5 in) With frame: 31 x 44 cm (12.2 x 17.3 in) Material: artwork printed on very fine handmade Amalfi paper with deckled edges Frame: light brown beech wood and wood pulp, handmade
How an Amalfi art print is made, what the frame is like, what museum glass is, how long shipping takes, and how returns work: we’ve gathered all the answers on a single page.
