CHATELAIN, Henri Abraham (1684-1743): „Carte Tres Curieuse De La Mer Du Sud Contenant Des Remarques Nouvelles Et Tres Utiles Non Seulement Sur Les Ports et Isles de Cette Mer, Mais aussy sur les principaux Pays de l’Amerique tant Septentrionale que Meridionale, Avec les Noms & la Route des Voyageurs par qui la decouverté en a été faite. Le tour pour l’intelligence Des Dissertations suivantes“. Amsterdam, 1720.

Original Kupferstich. — Von 4 Platten gedruckt; zusammensetzbar. — Blatt-Maße: jede Karte ca. 140 x 44 cm. — an den Seitenrändern knapprandig, sonst gut erhalten.

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Original copper engraving. — Printed on 4 plates, can be joined together. — with narrow margins on the sides, otherwise in very good condition.

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An extremely interesting example of a wall map of exceptional intricacy and detail. It was called „one of the most decorative maps of North America of the 18th century“ (Tooley). Its complex illustrations provide a panorama of the Discovery Period, depicting the mores, rituals and practices of indigenous peoples thought to be exotic by Europeans at the time. There are historic episodes depicted, New World flora and fauna, and portraits of the great discoverers. Two of the more prominent illustrations depict a very industrious and human-like beaver colony and the sun drying of cod fish in Newfoundland. Both of these commodities were common of the early economy of North America. The map with its lush imagery may also be viewed as the mapmaker’s attempt to stimulate interest in pan-Pacific trade. The map’s presentation of an undersized Pacific Ocean, with voyage tracks showing direct and easy crossings, certainly makes the ocean appear less than forbidding. The map was engraved by Bernard Picart. It also includes many of the lands of the eastern Pacific Rim, making clear that vast territories would be accessible via Pacific voyages. And the hyper-rich imagery also suggests the potential rewards of such an effort. The map was also one of the most elaborate examples of pictorial geography that was popular at the time. In the first half of the 18th century, there were many works published with richly illustrated maps in order to convey both history and geography at the same time. Although California is still shown as an island on the map, it is done so with some uncertainty. (California was first depicted as an island in the 1620s, but by the time this map appeared, the myth was beginning to wane.) A notation states „moderns“ believe it to belong to the mainland, and the island is engraved with a fainter, thus less definitive line.

EUR 9.500,-