Homann, Heirs. Tabula Americe Specialis Geographica Pegni Peru. Nuremburg, 1728. [South America]

Heirs Homann

Tabula Americe Specialis Geographica Pegni Peru

Nuremberg, 1728

20 3/4" x 24 1/4"

his finely engraved map, produced by the heirs of Johann Baptiste Homann, offers a detailed depiction of the Kingdom of Peru, a vital region of Spanish colonial South America during the early 18th century. Centered on the viceroyalty of Peru, the map highlights the immense wealth and strategic importance of the area, which served as the heart of Spain's colonial empire due to its rich silver mines, particularly those in Potosí.

The map meticulously charts key cities, settlements, rivers, and mountainous regions, reflecting European knowledge of the region’s geography and its economic significance. Homann’s heirs continued the family’s tradition of high-quality cartography, incorporating elaborate decorative elements such as ornate cartouches and depictions of indigenous figures and natural resources, which conveyed European perceptions of the Americas as exotic and resource-rich.

As a product of the Enlightenment era, this map represents the intersection of geographic precision and colonial ambition, providing a snapshot of Spain’s dominance in South America and the global significance of Peru’s resources in the 18th century.