Spain and Portugal
Cartographer / Artist: Aaron Arrowsmith
Date Created: 1807
Medium: Copperplate engraving
Physical Dimensions: 17.0 × 10.2 inches
Geographic Scope: Spain, Portugal, Iberian Peninsula
Archive Catalog ID: fp8-img-2196
Provenance: The Dr. Joseph R. Rubini Archive
Collection: 17th–19th Century French & Iberian Surveys
This detailed early nineteenth-century map depicts the Iberian Peninsula, comprising Spain and Portugal, along with portions of southern France and the northern coast of Africa. Published in London in 1807 under the direction of famed British cartographer Aaron Arrowsmith and engraved by J. Rye, the map highlights regional topography, major river systems, coastal anchorages, and extensive settlement networks across both countries. Mountainous regions are rendered using delicate hachuring to convey terrain relief throughout the Pyrenees, Cantabrian, and Sierra Nevada ranges. The surrounding maritime geography is extensively detailed, delineating the Atlantic Ocean, the Bay of Biscay, the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Balearic Islands of Majorca, Minorca, and Ibiza. To the south, the northern African coastline around Algiers is clearly labeled, placing the peninsula within its broader geopolitical context.
Condition: Light uniform paper toning consistent with age.. Faint handling wear and minor discoloration along the outer margins.. Crisp, clear copperplate impression with excellent legibility.




