Mallorca recovers a jewel of medieval cartography: Pere Rossell’s portolan chart

The jewel of Mallorcan cartography, acquired last April at Sotheby’s London by the island institution, will go on display from the 26th of June at the Museu de Mallorca.

The Council of Mallorca is today, Wednesday 20th of May, receiving at the Museu de Mallorca the portolan chart by Pere Rossell, dated 1447, one of the most important works of medieval Mallorcan cartography and an exceptional testimony to the so-called Mallorcan cartographic school. The arrival of the work coincides with the week of International Museum Day, an event that highlights the role of these institutions in the conservation, research and dissemination of cultural heritage.

The portolan chart, recently acquired by the Consell de Mallorca, now becomes part of Mallorca’s public heritage after the island institution formalised the purchase of the piece from Sotheby’s London in April. The work will be on display at the Museu de Mallorca from the 26th of June, coinciding with the opening of a monographic exhibition dedicated to this jewel of medieval cartography. The exhibition will place the piece in context and explore the importance of the Mallorcan cartographic school, as well as the historical, scientific and artistic value of this unique work.

The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, stressed that “today is a historic day for Mallorca because we are recovering, for our island, a unique piece of our cultural and scientific legacy”. Galmés emphasised that “this portolan chart represents the talent, knowledge and international reach that Mallorca enjoyed for centuries thanks to the Mallorcan cartographic school. The fact that it now becomes part of public heritage and can be viewed by all Mallorcans is a source of collective pride”.

The president also underlined that the arrival of the piece “reaffirms the Consell de Mallorca’s commitment to the recovery, protection and dissemination of the island’s historical heritage”, and stated that “preserving our heritage means preserving our identity and ensuring that future generations know and value Mallorca’s cultural wealth”.

For her part, the vice-president of the Consell de Mallorca and Councillor for Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca, highlighted the heritage significance of the acquisition: “The incorporation of this chart into the Museu de Mallorca represents a major heritage milestone. We are talking about an extraordinary work, linked to one of the periods of greatest cultural and scientific splendour in Mallorca, which from now on will be preserved, studied and shared with the whole of society”.

Roca also wished to highlight the coincidence with International Museum Day: “It is especially symbolic to receive this piece during the week dedicated to museums, institutions that safeguard our collective history. This portolan chart will undoubtedly become one of the great treasures of the Museu de Mallorca”.

The portolan chart was produced in 1447 by the Mallorcan cartographer Pere Rossell, one of the leading names of the Mallorcan cartographic school, internationally recognised for the technical precision and artistic richness of its nautical charts during the Middle Ages. These charts were essential instruments for navigation and maritime trade in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.