Often Italian portolan charts are described as being less ornate than the Catalan (Spanish) style, but if the Spanish portolan charts are more decorative, Canepa has certainly borrowed from them in his style. His highly decorated map is a work of art.

In his commentary on portolan charts, Campbell notes that in fact the stylistic distinctions between the Catalan and Italian portolan charts are largely a product of national pride of historians rather than real differences (Campbell 1987, 392-93).

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