The map itself is beautifully drawn and provides excellent detail of the coastlines of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana from the Rio de la Plata in the south to beyond the mouth of the Amazon River in the north. Although little was known about the interior of Brazil at the time, it is full of mountains, rivers and the fictional Port of Kings in Brazil and Lake Parime in Guyana. A large compass rose orients the map, with north on the right. The map is lavishly decorated with two cartouches, a vignette of cannibalism and an allegorical scene with the royal coat of arms of Brazil at the top, with two putti holding chains containing Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazon, and Medusa. “Il Regno del Brasile Parte Nobilissima del Mondo Nuovo…”, St Teresa, J. J. de
Map of Brazil from 1698
This magnificent map of Brazil, including parts of neighbouring countries, was one of 23 maps in this rare account of the Portuguese-Dutch colonial war.
Written by João José de Santa Teresa, known to bibliophiles as Saint Teresa, it is considered one of the most sumptuous 17th-century works on Brazil.
Saint Teresa, a Portuguese Carmelite, spent twelve years in the Jesuit missions of South America before returning to Europe to become librarian of the Jesuit College in Rome.
His account was heavily subsidised by Pedro II of Portugal and some of the leading artists and engravers of the time, including Antonio Horacio Andreas, were commissioned to work on the project. It was published by Giacomo Giovanni Rossi.
The map itself is beautifully drawn and provides excellent detail of the coastlines of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana from the Rio de la Plata in the south to beyond the mouth of the Amazon River in the north.
Although little was known about the interior of Brazil at the time, it is full of mountains, rivers and the fictional Port of Kings in Brazil and Lake Parime in Guyana. A large compass rose orients the map, with north on the right.
The map is lavishly decorated with two cartouches, a vignette of cannibalism and an allegorical scene with the royal coat of arms of Brazil at the top, with two putti holding chains containing Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazon, and Medusa. “Il Regno del Brasile Parte Nobilissima del Mondo Nuovo…”, St. Teresa, J. J. de
Map of Brazil from 1671 . Historical Maps of Brazil
