Introduction
A stunning visual encyclopaedia fit for a King
This 16th century world map is drawn in the style of a sea chart, with 32 compass directions and navigational lines. But it is not what it seems.
The map is actually created as a work of art for the French King, Henri II (1519-1559), designed to be displayed in his ‘cabinet of curiosities’ or laid out on a table in his library.
The map comes from the renowned Dieppe School of Cartography. It is a large, hand-produced item by Pierre Desceliers, combining knowledge from both French and Portuguese sources – two pioneering nations in the Golden Age of Discovery.
One striking feature is how accurate the coastal lines are for a map of this period. Desceliers calls on geographical knowledge to paint a kind of visual encyclopaedia
This view of the world is based on a blend of classical sources and direct observation. It is a world-view from a time of nautical discovery, as well as being a beautiful Renaissance work of art.
The Desceliers’ World Map, 1550 is part of The British Library collection.
source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/beautyofmaps/historical_maps-map2.shtml
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