Portolan Chart of the Mediterranean (5) — Antique Nautical Chart Print

Mediterranean portolan charts reached their most refined form in the workshops of Genoa, Venice, and the Balearic Islands, where generations of chartmakers passed down techniques for rendering the sea's coastlines with a level of accuracy that would not be surpassed until the age of scientific surveying. Rhumb lines radiating from compass roses crisscross the vellum, allowing a navigator to lay a straight-edge course between any two ports using dead reckoning and a magnetic compass. Because these charts recorded only coastlines and harbors, leaving the interior blank, they represent geography stripped down to exactly what a sailor needed and nothing more.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.