"Provincie di Seara e Rio Grande", Horatius, Andreas Antonius

This splendid map of the Brazilian provinces of Ceara and Rio Grande do Norte was one of 23 maps from this rare account of the Dutch-Portuguese colonial war. Written by Joao José de Santa Teresa, and known among bibliophiles as the Santa Teresa, it is considered one of the most sumptuous 17th century works on Brazil. Santa Teresa, a Portuguese Carmelite spent twelve years in the Jesuit missions of South America and then returned to Europe where he became librarian of the college of the Jesuits in Rome. His account was heavily subsidized by Pedro II of Portugal, and some of the period's leading artists and engravers, including Antonio Horacio Andreas, were engaged to work on the project. It was published by Giacomo Giovanni Rossi. The map itself is beautifully drawn and provides an excellent view only along the coastline, reflecting what little was known of the interior. A large compass rose orients the map with north to the right. The map is elaborately adorned with putti supporting the title cartouche and royal coat of arms, and sea monsters supporting the scale of miles.

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Condition: A

Issued folded, now flattened. There is some faint toning in the blank margins and along one fold, and a couple minor printer's ink smudges in the border.