Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697–1782) is one of the most significant figures in the history of European cartography. Celebrated for his accuracy, meticulousness, and dedication to scientific principles, d’Anville revolutionized mapmaking by moving away from the speculative practices of many of his predecessors. This article explores his life, influences, and seminal contributions to the field, underscoring his transformative role in the development of European cartography.
Born in Paris on July 11, 1697, Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d’Anville was the son of a modest family. Little is known about his parents, aside from their names, or his early family life, but it is clear that his intellectual aptitude emerged in childhood, for as a child, d’Anville displayed an insatiable curiosity for geography and history. It is said that when he was twelve he was already drawing his first maps, based on his reading of classical writers. His early mapmaking would become his lifelong vocation. Even his early maps followed the precepts and reforms of cartography initiated by Nicolas Sanson, which had been furthered by Claude and Guillaume Delisle. By the age of fifteen, he had published his first serious map, depicting ancient Greece. His passion was nurtured through a rigorous classical education, including Latin, Greek, and a strong foundation in mathematics - an essential to all map makers.
He studied mapmaking under Charles-Hubert Alexis Jaillot, a prominent cartographer of the time and a descendant of Nicolas Sanson, one of France’s earlier and most celebrated cartographers. From Jaillot, d’Anville inherited the tradition of systematic geographic research. However, d’Anville sought to refine and expand upon these methods, always emphasizing empirical evidence and rejecting outdated conjectures.
In the early 18th century, mapmaking at times relied on unverified sources, resulting in inaccuracies. D’Anville distinguished himself by rejecting unsubstantiated claims and prioritizing firsthand data, travelers’ accounts, and official surveys. He always sought to represent geographic knowledge with precision and honesty, even if it meant leaving blank spaces on a map where information was lacking - a revolutionary practice in an era when cartographers often filled gaps with speculative content and/or fanciful vignettes. His rigorous approach earned him the position of Geographer to the King of France at the young age of 22. Over his lifetime, d’Anville produced over 200 maps, many of which are to this day considered masterpieces of cartographic science and highly sought after.
His map of China, considered the finest printed map of the Middle Kingdom to be published in Europe in the 18th century, is based in large part on the information contained in maps which had been commissioned by the Qing Emperor Kangxi in the early 18th century. Jesuit surveyors charted the kingdom, and the resulting maps were published as the Kangxi Atlas. The broad scope of the information depicted by these woodcut maps would not be superseded for more than a century. As stated in the title, the map depicts China, Chinese Tartary, and Tibet and is based on maps made by French Jesuits. D’Anvillle was able to acquire copies of the Jesuit maps and devised his own interpretations of them.
This particular map focuses on China and Korea, extending from the Caspian Sea to Sakhalin. It is executed in fine detail and depicts important settlements, towns and cities. All known provincial boundaries are noted and the Great Wall is rendered in detail. Geographical features including river systems, mountain ranges, deserts and steppes are delineated and named. An elaborate allegorical cartouche embellishing the map in the lower left quadrant depicts Emperor Kangxi seated in his throne overseeing the undertaking of the survey. Two Jesuit priests with an armed mounted escort are depicted in a provincial village setting replete with farm animals.
