Portolan chart

Made by the Marseille school of chart makers, this is the western half of a portolan chart of the Mediterranean. It was likely made as a presentation copy for a noble or merchant of Marseille as it is much more highly decorated than a mariner's portolan chart. The island of Malta bears the Order's cross; if we had the eastern half, we would probably find Rhodes changed in a similar manner.

Object type

Maps

Date

Production: 1673

Cartographer

Nicola[..?]il Board (active c. 1670s)

Subject(s)

Maritime

Dimensions

Height x width x depth: 429 x 333mm

Materials and technique

Watercolour on vellum, bound in leather

Production place

Marseille
France

References

Mason, Roger, and Pamela Willis. Maps of Malta in the Museum and Library of the Order of St John: A Short Catalogue. St. John Supplies Department, 1989.
Page 20
Catalogue number 51

Credit line

Conserved with the support of Nigel Hankin, 2019

Catalogue number

1438