Antique Maps by Giovanni Battista Ramusio (*1485 - †1557)

Giovanni Battista Ramusio was an Italian geographer, humanist, scholar, historian, and travel writer active during the mid-16th century. Primarily serving the Republic of Venice, he initially participated in the state's embassy to France and later reported on voyages and discoveries. Born into a distinguished family in Treviso, Ramusio moved to Venice in his youth, where his father held a magisterial position. Although he studied at the University of Padua, it's uncertain whether he completed a full degree. Soon after leaving the university, he joined the civil service, leveraging his linguistic skills, particularly in French, to undertake diplomatic assignments.

Ramusio's most significant contribution to cartography is the publication of Navigation et Viaggi, a collection of travel narratives compiled during his service to the state. This compilation features accounts from various explorers, including Marco Polo, Niccolò Da Conti, Magellan, Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, Giosafat Barbaro, and Tomé Pires, among others. Some of the voyages presented in Navigation et Viaggi were previously unknown, highlighting its exceptional importance. In addition to the travelogues, it contained also a description of Africa, entitled Della descrittione dell'Africa. Ramusio passed away in Venice in 1557.