Portugaliae Monumenta Cartographica. By Armando Cortesão and Avelino Teixeira da Mota, 1987 - Portuguese maps from 1470-1620
A monumental and important reference work on the history of Portuguese cartography and maritime exploration, Portugaliae Monumenta Cartographica was compiled by the distinguished Portuguese historian and cartographer Armando Cortesão (1891-1977), in collaboration with the naval historian Avelino Teixeira da Mota (1920-1982). First published in 1960 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, the work was conceived as a comprehensive record of Portugal's extraordinary contribution to European cartography during the great period of Portuguese maritime exploration.
The work reproduces and describes surviving Portuguese cartographic material from approximately 1470 to 1620, encompassing the period in which Portuguese navigators transformed European geographical knowledge through voyages along the African coast and across the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The numerous maps, charts, plans and related documents reproduced throughout include some of the most important surviving monuments of Renaissance cartography, illustrating not only changing geographical knowledge but also the remarkable decorative traditions of early manuscript maps, with their ships, flags, coats of arms, cities, animals and other pictorial details. Extensive accompanying scholarly text provides historical and bibliographical commentary on the maps and their makers.
Portugaliae Monumenta Cartographica. By Armando Cortesão and Avelino Teixeira da Mota. In six volumes, together with the large-format supplementary portfolio of loose plates. Complete in seven parts.
Published by Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda, Lisbon, 1987. Second edition with additional charts and texts - based on the reproduction of the first edition of 1960. Text in Portuguese and English.
A substantial and impressive complete set, comprising six large folio hardback volumes together with the considerably larger matching portfolio containing the loose cartographic plates. Uniformly bound in burgundy/red cloth with gilt titles to the front covers and spines, the sixth volume additionally bearing the Portuguese armorial device to the front cover.
The six principal volumes contain extensive text and numerous illustrations and facsimile reproductions of historical maps and charts, including both monochrome and colour material.
The exceptionally large separate atlas portfolio is complete, containing all 78 leaves of plates as called for, individually collated against the detailed institutional collation recorded by the Smithsonian Libraries. The suite comprises 42 multicoloured plates, six supplementary multicoloured plates numbered I-VI, and 30 sepia-toned plates, including numerous large folding examples. Many of the colour plates are particularly sumptuous productions, reproducing the elaborate decoration of the original manuscript maps and charts, with metallic gilt ink employed very effectively in places.
A very good set indeed. The covers of the six book volumes are generally very good, with some light shelf wear and a few marks and scuffs. The outer atlas portfolio also has some light wear and marking, together with wear to the head and tail of the spine and a c.10cm edge tear to the lower flap. Given the exceptional size and weight of the portfolio - approximately 6.25kg on its own - the survival of the portfolio in this condition is particularly pleasing.
The bindings are sound and the text pages are clean and bright throughout. There is some light spotting to the upper edges of the text blocks. The loose portfolio plates are especially attractive: bright, clean and vividly reproduced. A small number have some light edge wear, but overall the suite of plates is very well preserved and presents beautifully.
An impressive and increasingly uncommon complete set of one of the major twentieth-century scholarly works devoted to the history of Portuguese cartography, and an important reference for the study of early maps, maritime exploration and the Portuguese Age of Discovery.
Text in Portuguese and English.
Volumes I-VI + complete large-format atlas portfolio containing 78 loose leaves of plates (some folding), all present as called for.
Dimensions:
Volumes I-VI: approximately 364mm high x 274mm wide x 23-46mm deep.
Plate portfolio: approximately 615mm high x 482mm wide x 31mm deep.
Weight: approximately 25.65kg (the complete set - unpacked).