The Mapmaker

http://gallery.lib.umn.edu/archive/original/703f0653ff1564196034dec0ddf503f4.jpg

Genoa is in the center; Venice is to the right, with the Alps and Avignon to the left.

This beautiful portolan chart was made by Albino de Canepa, a Genoese cartographer about whom little is known.

A few things are certain. Apparently Canepa was proud of his home city, which is portrayed much larger than Venice on his map.

Under the magnifying glass: