There are 13 maps in total, most of which are drawn in the classic portolan style with wind lines, wind roses, ships, and various decorations populating the land such as figures, banners, and geographical features. On these portolan charts, coastal locations are written perpendicular to the coasts in primarily Latin, Italian, and Spanish. There are maps of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, three maps devoted to the Mediterranean, and several other regional maps, including one of Italy. The final map of the atlas is an oval world map (image attached), which depicts five continents. A line stretches across the map, marking Magellan’s voyage. In typical Agnese style, the twelve winds—drawn as cherub heads on blue clouds—frame the map. In the creation of this atlas, Agnese was inspired by Spanish and Portuguese maps, as well as other Venetian sea charts and the works of Ptolemy. Geographic features distinguish this atlas from others from Agnese. Compared to some of his earlier work, this world map features the Californian peninsula and no longer separates England and Scotland by a channel. This is a testament to emerging geographic knowledge of the sixteenth century and Agnese’s reception of these discoveries.

Despite its technical detail, this atlas was not intended for navigational use, but rather to be a documentation of knowledge and tradition.

(Piper Henderson 2027)