Mapa Histórico de la Vida de Simón Bolívar

A Historical Map of the Life of Simón Bolívar.

This striking celebration of the life and achievements of Simón Bolívar was published around 1953 by the Creole Petroleum Corporation of Caracas, Venezuela – a subsidiary of Esso (or Standard Oil of New Jersey). The work was designed and copyrighted by the General Drafting Company of New York as a prime example of post-war ‘corporate oil diplomacy.’ El Libertador is Venezuela’s national hero, and positioning him in the context of Pan-American relations was a deliberate attempt to court public favor while the majority of resource wealth was being captured by foreigners.

The left side of the sheet presents a pictorial map of northeastern South America that showcases Bolívar’s actions across the region, notably five distinct military campaigns. An inset in the upper right shows the various monuments located in Caracas. Immediately adjacent is a similar overview of the Atlantic, noting the numerous voyages taken by the Liberator during his lifelong struggle to attain independence from Spanish subjugation. Descriptive text, in Spanish, heaps praise on the ‘Inspired and Prophetic’ man. Though the ‘Guerra del Muerte’ is mentioned, executions of prisoners and political opponents, dictatorial tendencies, and the Massacre of Pasto are all largely omitted from the image.