1413
Mecia de Viladestes was a disciple of Jafuda Cresques, his Jewish name was Samuel Corchos. He converted to
Christianity in 1391. Two maps signed by him are preserved. One dated 1413 was acquired by the Prior of the
monastery in Valldemossa and eventually came to rest in the Paris National Library The other dated 1420 is
to be found in Florence. His brother Joan also drew up a mapamundi (1428) which is in the Istanbul Museum.
These portolan charts show the same geographical setting as Dulcert's portolan chart, the wealth of paintings
and explanatory legends of the Catalan Atlas and the same fascination with African gold, and knowledge of the
overland routes leading to it.
1435
Little is know about Gabriel de Valseca. He is thought to have been born in Barcelona and lived in in the Santa
Creu district of Palma in Mallorca from 1435 -1467. His mapamundi dated 1439 was influenced by the Jaffuda Cresques
School. It can be seen in the Barcelona Maritime Museum.
At one time, this map was in the possession of the Comte de Montenegro and was seen by George Sand during her stay
on the Island with Frederick Chopin in 1839. She wrote in her book "A Winter in Mallorca", that it was a "masterpiece
of
calligraphy and topographical drawing, where the miniaturist has produced accurate work. This map had
belonged to Americo Vespucio who bought it at an extremely high price, according to the note on the back,
in the writing of that time Questa ampla pelle di geographia fè pagata da Amerigo Vespucci CXXX ducati
di oro de marco." Amerigo Vespucci, the Italian-born Spanish explorer, provisioned one (possibly two) of the
expeditions of Christopher Columbus.
Other charts may be seen in the Paris National Library (1447) and the Florence Museum (1449).
1456
An atlas exists signed by Jaume Bertranan and Berenguer Ripoll in 1456. In addition, three more of
Bertranan's maps, dating from 1482-1489, can be seen in Florence, Mallorca and London.
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