Fernão Vaz Dourado

Who is Fernão Vaz Dourado?

Fernão Vaz Dourado was a Portuguese cartographer of the sixteenth century, belonging to the third period of the old Portuguese nautical cartography, which is characterised by the abandonment of Ptolemaic influence in the representation of the Orient and introduction of better accuracy in the depiction of lands and continents. Little is known about this historical figure.

The known works of Dourado are of an extraordinary quality and beauty. He is considered as one of the best cartographers of the time. Most of his manuscript charts are of relatively large scale and are included in nautical atlases. The following six atlas from the period 1568-1580 are known:

1568 - 20 manuscript sheets on parchment, dedicated to D. Luís de Ataíde

1570 - 20 manuscript sheets on parchment

1571 - 20 manuscript sheets on parchment, from which 2 were stolen in 1851.

c. 1576 - 20 manuscript sheets on parchment

1575 - 21 manuscript sheets on parchment

1580 - 20 manuscript sheets on parchment