Oliva, Joan (Fl. 1570-1614)

Illuminated Manuscript Portolan Chart on Vellum Heightened in Gold

      1600. This portolan is an extremely rare example of Oliva's work. It is a highly decorative and sumptuous work rather than a purely functional tool for navigators, and it originates from the same atlas, probably created for a wealthy patron. Shown is an island that was a Spanish possession at the time: Sicily, which became a territory of Peter of Aragon in 1282 and reverted to the Spanish Crown after the unification of Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella in 1479; and Sardinia, which became a territory of Jaume II of Aragon in 1323 and also reverted to Spain in 1479. Sumptuously heightened in gold leaf, they survive in excellent condition. The coastline is drawn in blue with smaller islands shown in red. Rivers are marked as blue and highlighted in white. Towns are represented by generic buildings and labeled in brown ink. Crosses denote the location of churches. Principal towns are indicated in red calligraphy and bear flags decorated with gold leaf. The interior of the chart is adorned with conventional symbols for mountains, while the whole is decorated with rhumb lines and set within a gilded border. The rhumb lines meet at a central point, an elaborate compass rose, which orients the map (to the south in the case of Sicily, and to the east in the case of Sardinia) and serves as a reminder that portolan charts such as these had their origins in the navigational needs of seafaring populations. On the chart, the title is set in a banner at the upper edge of the chart and within it is the coat of arms of Spain, with the Habsburg black eagle and striped panels in red and gold leaf.