The Council of Mallorca will display from June at the Museu de Mallorca one of the most significant works of medieval cartography linked to the island: the Mediterranean Portolan Chart signed in 1447 by Petrus Roselli, known in Mallorca as Pere Rossell. Recently acquired by the island institution, the document will become part of the public heritage and will be available for public viewing for several months at the island’s main historical museum.
The purchase of this cartographic masterpiece represents a significant step within the cultural heritage protection strategy promoted by the Department of Culture and Heritage of the Council of Mallorca. The institution invested 882,000 euros in acquiring the document, which is considered one of the most valuable examples of the Mallorcan School of Cartography, a renowned cartographic tradition that flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries.
TDB keeps you informed. Follow us on: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
The Council of Mallorca will exhibit the Portolan Chart of Pere Rossell (1447), a jewel of Mallorcan cartography, starting in June at the Museu de Mallorca
The portolan chart is an illuminated map representing the Mediterranean world, created on a single large sheet of vellum. The document features brown ink drawings accompanied by hundreds of place names written in red and black Gothic script, illustrating the high level of technical precision and artistic skill achieved by Mallorcan cartographers during the medieval period. The text is written in both Latin and Catalan, further enhancing its historical significance.
The piece was identified during an international auction held in London, where the oldest known navigation chart among the ten surviving works attributed to Petrus Roselli was offered for sale. Roselli is widely recognised as one of the most prolific figures of the Mallorcan School of Cartography, whose work contributed significantly to the development of Mediterranean navigation in the Middle Ages.
Following the discovery of this opportunity to incorporate the historical chart into Mallorca’s public collections, the Council of Mallorca entered direct negotiations with the auction house to secure the acquisition. The process received a favourable evaluation from the national body responsible for assessing and protecting historical heritage assets, which recognised both the cultural value of the work and the appropriateness of the agreed purchase price.
The portolan chart will be exhibited at the Museu de Mallorca from June to November, offering visitors the opportunity to closely observe this unique example of medieval cartography and to understand its importance within Mallorca’s scientific and cultural heritage.