Portolan Chart of the the Aegean Sea — Antique Nautical Chart Print

The Aegean Sea, scattered with hundreds of Greek islands between the mainland and the coast of Asia Minor, was one of the most demanding regions for portolan chartmakers to render accurately, requiring them to plot countless small harbors, straits, and shoals that larger-scale Mediterranean charts could only simplify. Sailors moving between Venice, Constantinople, and the ports of the eastern Mediterranean depended on detailed Aegean charts to navigate a sea where a wrong turn could mean running aground on an uncharted islet. The region's dense island geography made it a specialty within the broader portolan tradition, often meriting its own dedicated chart within a larger nautical atlas.

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.