Charles V Atlas & Magellan Atlas

Charles V Atlas & Magellan Atlas

The compendium of two important atlases of the 16th century offers insight into the glory of the geographical implements that were available during the Renaissance. The Atlas of Charles V was produced in 1542 in Venice by the famous cartographer Battista Agnese with the book’s decoration being rounded out by Guilio Clovio. The Atlas of Magellan tells the story of the first circumnavigation of the world through the Portuguese, who were commissioned by the Spanish King Charles I (later Emperor Charles V). Important names are connected to this prominent and artistically impressive work of cartography.

Cartography of the Renaissance

Through the 32 to 35 pages of the maps of the atlases, a view of the world of the middle of the 16th century is apparent. In this time, the great discoveries steadily changed the map of the world. Yet the newly discovered continents rendered the maps ever more concrete and truer to reality. Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor, commissioned in 1542 the creation of an atlas, which would serve as a luxurious auxiliary tool for the geographic education of his son, Philip. The future Spanish King Philip II received the atlas as a 16th birthday present. For the cartographer, Charles V chose the Genoese Battista Agnese, who was one of the greatest of his guild. With his body of work comprising of more than 100 atlases, his knowledge and skill spoke for itself. He was employed in Venice, where he finished his cartographic works for the European Royal Houses and other important patrons. The atlas for Emperor Charles V contains a multitude of different maps: more detailed maps of specific continents, for example the Italian boot or the Baja California, with numerous legends and geographical data. Furthermore, there are different large scale world maps, a map of the stars, and a depiction of an armillary sphere.

An Atlas as a Work of Art

All of these geographically exact representations are imbedded in a large framework of magnificent borders. The frames are imbedded with ornamental representations of plants, masks, and mythical creatures. They show scenic representations and portraits, which appear to be partly in the style of antiquity. For example, depictions of knights are painted in the fashion of a Greek vase. In the entire splendor, there are mottos, Coats of Arms, and the already mentioned portraits integrated in the style of medallions from antiquity. All told, the significant influence of the Renaissance is recognizable. The artist of the design of the maps—which is partly even decorated with rich gold—was the Italian Guilio Clovio. With this main work, the Book of Hours of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, Clovio was the most famous manuscript artist of the Italian Renaissance.

The history of the First Global Circumnavigation

The second Atlas, originating in 1544, is so-named as the Magellan Atlas. It contains maps in relation to Ferdinand Magellan (1480–1521) and his first circumnavigation of the world. In the service of the Spanish King Charles I, later Emperor Charles V, the Portuguese navigator sailed West on September 20th, 1519 with a fleet of five ships, in order to find the so-called Western Passage to the Pacific Ocean. The enterprise was successful—the so-called Strait of Magellan was even named after him. Yet he died on the trip home in the Philippines. The maps in this atlas are likewise detailed as the Charles V Atlas. They contain exact data specific to the oceans and seas, because they mainly were meant to serve seafaring ventures.