This is the second of Blaeu’s atlas maps of Brazil, first recorded in 1640 but usually associated with its appearance in the Atlas Major from 1662 onwards. Original colour.

This map is oriented to show north to the left of the sheet and shows coastal detail as far south as the Rio de la Plata. Nothing is shown in the interior with the exception of Lago or Puerto de los Reyes, a fictitious source for the Uruguay River. The upper right also shows part of the Lago Parime, another mythical lake, associated with the legend of El Dorado. The geographical detail marked on the map is from Portuguese sources, mainly Jesuit with the word “Cap” being short for “Capitania” an administrative division used by the Portuguese bureaucracy.

In the “Atlas Major” from 1662 onwards, this map is most often associated with the five other regional maps of Brazil published by George Marggraf in c.1645.

Aesthetically, this is one of the most iconic and recognizable cartographic images of Brazil. The large cartouche on the lower left bears a dedication to Krzysztof Arciszewski, a Polish nobleman and soldier in the employ of the Dutch West India Company. He was also a notable map maker and distinguished himself to such an extent in the service of the Company that he was awarded a medal engraved with two of his own manuscript maps held in the archives of the Company. He ultimately rose to become Deputy Governor of Dutch Brazil. French text on verso. Image available on request.

French text on verso. Image available on request. Original colour. [SAM3648]