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This finely colored woodcut map from Benedetto Bordone’s Libro di Benedetto Bordone nel qual si ragiona de tutte l’isole del mondo, first published in Venice in 1528, illustrates the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira in the Atlantic Ocean. The map provides a striking representation of these Portuguese islands, which had become pivotal outposts in the age of exploration and transatlantic navigation.
Located to the northeast of Madeira, Porto Santo is depicted with notable detail, showing its hilly terrain and small settlements. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1418, Porto Santo became one of the first stepping stones in Portugal’s maritime expansion. The island’s depiction in Bordone’s map reflects its significance during the early 16th century, serving as a refuge for sailors and a site of agricultural development. The strategic importance of Porto Santo lay in its proximity to the main island of Madeira, which served as a hub for the cultivation of sugarcane, a key commodity that drove European interest in Atlantic territories.
The island of Madeira is presented with its rugged coastline and elevated interior, capturing the island’s dramatic topography. Settled soon after Porto Santo in 1419, Madeira quickly grew into a thriving colony, particularly with the introduction of sugarcane by the Portuguese. By the time of Bordone’s publication, Madeira’s sugar industry had gained international recognition, attracting merchants from across Europe. The map marks the location of “Madera,” indicating the island’s central role in trade and agriculture. Madeira’s wealth from sugar production and its position along the Atlantic trade routes established it as a key point in the Portuguese maritime empire.
The islands of Porto Santo and Madeira played crucial roles in the broader narrative of European exploration. As part of the Portuguese empire, these islands were among the earliest outposts that expanded Europe’s reach into the Atlantic, setting the stage for future ventures to the Americas and beyond. The settlements and agricultural ventures depicted on this map underscore the islands’ transformation from isolated landmasses into economically vibrant colonies.
Benedetto Bordone (1460-1531) was a polymath who was born in Padua and worked in Venice. He was an illuminator, engraver, miniaturist, editor, and geographer. It is possible he made the first globe in Italy. His most famous work is the Isolario, or Book of Islands, which included many of the earliest printed maps of islands in the New World.
Bordone, a prominent Venetian manuscript editor, miniaturist, and cartographer, was born in Padua, a city that was then part of the Republic of Venice. Although his exact date of birth remains unknown, historical records indicate that his parents married in Padua in 1442, and he himself was married in 1480. Bordone's contributions to the field of cartography, particularly through his seminal work, Isolario, have cemented his legacy as a pivotal figure in the Renaissance cartographic tradition.
Bordone's most renowned work, Isolario (The Book of Islands), printed in Venice in 1528, is a comprehensive compilation that describes all the known islands of the world. The book offers detailed accounts of each island's folklore, myths, cultures, climates, geographical situations, and historical narratives. It stands as a testament to the popularity of the isolario genre in 15th and 16th century Italy and serves as an illustrated guide for sailors, incorporating the era's latest transatlantic discoveries.
One of the notable features of Isolario is an oval depiction of the world, a map type invented by Bordone. This innovation was later formalized into the equal-area elliptical Mollweide projection three centuries afterward. Bordone's map portrays a distorted view of the New World, showing only the northern regions of South America and depicting North America as a large island labeled Terra del Laboratore (Land of the Worker), a likely reference to the region's active slave trade during that period, which also influenced the name Labrador.
The book also contains the earliest known printed account of Francisco Pizarro's conquest of Peru, making it a significant historical document. Among the numerous woodcut maps included in Isolario, twelve are dedicated to the Americas. These maps feature a plan of "Temistitan" (Tenochtitlan, modern Mexico City) before its destruction by Hernán Cortés, and a map of Ciampagu, the earliest known European-printed map of Japan depicted as an island.
Benedetto Bordone's familial connections are also of interest; he is reputed to have been the father of Julius Caesar Scaliger, a noted classical scholar, and the grandfather of Joseph Justus Scaliger, who is recognized as the founder of the science of historical chronology. The original maps from Bordone's Isolario are highly valued today for their historical significance and intricate craftsmanship. Through his work, Bordone has left an indelible mark on the history of cartography, providing invaluable insights into the geographical knowledge and cultural perceptions of his time.
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