Castiglioni Map
description: The Castiglioni World Map, created by Portuguese cartographer Diogo Ribeiro in 1525, is a stunning and detailed depiction of the known world during the Age of Exploration. The map was commissioned as a gift for Baldassare Castiglione, an Italian diplomat and prominent figure in the Papal court, marking it as a diplomatic tool as well as a masterpiece of geographical knowledge of the time. Diogo Ribeiro was a prominent Portuguese cartographer of the early 16th century, known for his work under the Spanish Crown during a period of intense exploration and territorial expansion. His maps were celebrated for their accuracy and detail, as they incorporated information from Spanish explorers and navigators. However, the Castiglioni World Map is not one of his more famous works and is less studied compared to some of his other maps. Geographically, the map covers a vast range of territories. It includes Europe, Africa, the Americas, and parts of Asia. The map presents the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, showing the new discoveries in the Western Hemisphere, particularly the outline of the American continents. North America is less detailed compared to South America, where the coastline and major features are more precisely mapped, reflecting the Spanish focus on this region. The Caribbean islands are also prominent, highlighting Spain’s colonial interests. The map also prominently features the line of division established by the Treaty of Tordesillas, a crucial demarcation that divided the world between Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence. This line underscores the political and territorial stakes of the Age of Exploration and Spain’s claims over the Americas. The Castiglioni World Map by Diogo Ribeiro features a highly detailed coastline, especially around South America and the Caribbean, reflecting Spain’s extensive exploration efforts. The coasts of Brazil, the Río de la Plata, and major Caribbean islands like Cuba and Hispaniola are accurately depicted. Important p…
creator: Diogo Ribeiro (Diego Ribero)
source: Carta Castiglioni (1525), Biblioteca Estense Universitaria di Modena C.G.A.12
publisher: Bini, Roberto, Ernesto Milano, and Inge Krutsch. Carta del navegare universalissima et diligentissima: Castiglioni Weltkarte. Modena : Il Bulino, 2002.
date: 1525
contributor: Special Collections, Carleton College, Northfield, MN
rights: Rights for maps held by individual publishers and institutions. Thumbnails displayed constitute fair use.
relation: https://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsimiles/castiglioni-world-map-facsimile
format: sheet map
language: Spanish
type: World Map
identifier: Carleton Library Special Collections Map (Map, Rolled) (G3200 1525 .C322 2002)