1730 Carte Des Indes et de la Chine
By: Guillaume Delisle / Jean Covens & Cornelius Mortier
Date: 1730 (published) Amsterdam
Dimensions: 24.25 x 24.50 inches (62 x 62.2 cm)
This lovely antique map of Asia presents as up-to-date and accurate information as was available to Europeans by the 1730s. Many of the speculative cartographic elements from earlier maps remain in this map, but are shown less prominently.
A fictitious lake in place of the Himalayan Mountains is still depicted as the source of the Ganges River delta in present-day Bangladesh. Further north and to the east, we find Japan with Terre d'Yeco (present-day Hokkaido) connected to Asia. Upon close examination of the top right border, we find a coastline for the fictitious Terra de la Compangnie. As well respected and talented a cartographer DeLisle was considered, he is one of the most responsible map makers for perpetuating the myth of Compagnies Land.
From West to East, the map shows Tartaria at its western extreme, all of India, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, China, Korea, and Japan. Depictions of towns, rivers, political divisions, and some topography are neatly and clearly presented. Asia was an area of great interest to eighteenth century Europeans, and this map shows a gradual expansion (in some ways flawed) of their geographic knowledge of the region. The publishers of this edition of the map, Jean Covens, and Cornelius Mortier, purchased DeLisle plates after his death and continued to issue the maps from their press in Amsterdam. They enhanced their issues lovely coloring, well evidenced in this attractive and interesting original color example.
Guillaume Delisle (1675-1726) was the leading French cartographer of the 18th century, and one of the greatest of all time. He is known as the father of scientific cartography, because he was the first publisher to use methods of measuration and triangulation in map preparation. According to Tooley, "his work was highly rated, not only by his own countrymen, but by the world at large." (Maps & Mapmakers, page 43)
Condition: This map is in A condition, with original outline on heavy paper and ample margins on all sides. Any fold separations are difficult to locate and have been reinforced on the verso.
Inventory #12306
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