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Rare separately issued map of Matanzas, Cuba, by Esteban Pichardo, the "Father of Cuban Geography."
Esteban Pichardo's plan of Matanzas illustrates the growth of the city during its great boom period, during which time it was proclaimed "la Atena de Cuba" (the Athens of Cuba). In this time period, there was a great economic boom in this part of Cuba, which resulted in the technical, educational and cultural transformations of Matanzas and neighboring cities, including Cardenas and Colombia.
Pichardo's map captures not only the tremendous growth of the city, but also illustrates the slums of Versalles and Pueblo Nuevo. A street plans is shown, with extensive annotations and soundings in the harbor. The fortifications of Castillo San Severino are shown, as are the major squares, and builidngs. In the outer parts of the City, the names of larger land owners are shown, along with the major roads entering the city. The course of the Rio Yumuri and Rio San Juan through the City is also shown, along with bridges and waterfront commerce.
The text includes a description of the City, major streets, neighborhoods, and other contemporary details regarding the construction of the map.
Esteban Pichardo Tapia (1799-1879) was the most important Cuban mapmaker of the 19th Century and has been referred to as "Padre de los Geógrafos Cubanos" (Father of Cuban Geographers). Initially trained as a lawyer at the University of Habana in 1822, he practiced law in Guanajay, Havana, and Matanzas. His first geographical work was a General Itinerary of the Roads of the Island of Cuba, published in 1828. His earliest map production was a map of Matanzas (almost certainly this map), followed by a 4 sheet map of the Western part of Cuba in 1853. His master work was his atlas of Cuba, published in 1874, along with a massive 3 sheet map of the Island.
The present plan of Matanzas seems almost certainly to be Pichardo's first published map. The map is virtually unknown (no copies in OCLC or other internet sources), although we did find an indirect reference to the map in an essay on mid-19th Century Matanzas and environs.
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