Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.

Portolan atlas (MS M.506).

Accession number
MS M.506
Object title
Portolan atlas (MS M.506).
Display Date
ca. 1546
Created
France, ca. 1546
Binding
French half-red morocco, ca. 1850.
Credit line
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1911.
Description
12 leaves : vellum, ill. ; 330 x 260 mm
Provenance
Belonged to J.F.A. Peyré, magistrate of Villefrance near Lyon in 1866 (his motto, semper aliquid, on fol. 7v; curatorial folder contains correspondence in his hand); Leo S. Olschki; purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) from Leo S. Olschki in 1912; J.P. Morgan (1867-1943).
Notes
Ms. atlas; written and illuminated in France, ca. 1546.
Cartographer: once attributed to Pierre Desceliers, but various scholars have suggested that the prototype was taken from Nicolas Desliens.
Decoration: 6 illuminated maps decorated with windroses, ships, mountains, cities, forests, etc.
Script
semi-cursive script
Language
French
Century
Classification