Created by the renowned Italian cartographer Paolo Santini, this map is a finely crafted map of the central portion of South America.
The map itself is meticulously detailed, showing the southern parts of Brazil and Peru, northern Chile, and Paraguay. The geographic features are accurately and intricately represented, from the southern most tributaries of the Amazon River to the towering Andes Mountains. Coastal areas are carefully etched with hachure lines indicating the slope and elevation of the terrain, and there is an impressive level of detail in the representation of the dense interior rainforests and the sprawling pampas.
Cities, towns, and indigenous settlements are marked with tiny but precise symbols.
The map's most striking feature is the large title cartouche in the lower right corner, with a coat of arms of Spain.
Paolo Santini (1729-1793) was an Venetian engraver known especially for his religious prints and fine cartographic engravings. He published in Venice and may have a been a member of the clergy. In his maps, he largely adopted and adapted the work of his French counterparts, especially the brothers de Vaugondy.