One of the legendary cartographers of the modern era is Andrea Bianco who is hailed for the first cartographic representation of the peninsular state of Florida. Andrea Bianco was himself a Venetian sailor and map maker who often provided services to Portugal.
The cartographic representations of Andrea Bianco are retained in his atlas of 1436. The collection comprises of navigation charts sketched in leaves of vellum. The first parchment contains the instructions on the Rule of Marteloio. The rule is elaborated with tables, diagrams and the circle and square which are essential tools required to resolve the course. Each of the ten parchments are framed in the measurements of 29 x 38 cm. The last two parchments in the binding comprise of the world maps. The circular world map featuring on the ninth leaf is structured in measurements of 25 centimeters circumference. The last leaf in the binding features the world map by Ptolemy with graduations.
Andrea Bianco collaborated with Fra Mauro during the 15th century to produce maps. However, his greatest achievement was detailing Antillia which is very often considered as one of the primitive representation of America. A similar shape and form of Andrea Bianco’s Antillia can be found in the Cantino Map which refers to the region as Has Antilhas.
