1784 D'Anville Wall Map of Asia
|
|
|
Description: An absolutely stunning and monumental two panel 1794 wall map of Asia by J. B. B. D'Anville. Covers the entire continent of Asia, including Arabia, the Indian subcontinent, and the East Indies. Names countless cities, caravan routes, and geographical features such as islands, undersea shoals, oases, lakes, rivers, and mountains throughout. In Siberia and East Asia the mappings of Cook, Bering (including Behring Island, where he died) and Tschirikow are much in evidence.
This map is exceptionally interesting for its detailed work in Central Asia - a little known and largely unmapped region at the time. Anville attempts to notate various historical sites throughout. For example in the Gobi desert, Anville identifies, abet speculatively, the site of Karakarian or Karakorum, the ancient capital of the Mongol Empire, "Hereabout stood the City of Karakarin or Holin, the ancient Seat of the Monguls Empire". In a similar vein, he also identifies the ruins of various temples and palaces in Tartary.
Southeast Asia and the East India Islands are mapped in detail based upon old Dutch maps with only speculative commentary on the interior. Notes the Kingdoms of Pegu (Burma) Siam (Thailand), Tonkin and Chochin (Vietnam) and Camboja (Cambodia). Curiously notes a Desert in the middle of Cambodia where today we know there is actually a lush jungle. Further south, the Straits of Malacca are noted, as are the Straits of Singapore. Singapore Island, though not identified, is recognizable.
An elaborate allegorical title cartouche in the upper left quadrant depicts a bearded, possibly Arab, trader with his goods, an incense burner, and a camel beneath a palm tree. This map was printed on four sheets and was joined by the publisher in to two panels - upper and lower. It frames up dramatically either in separate or floated in a single frame. Published by Laurie and Whittle as plate nos. 26-27 in the 1797 edition of Thomas Kitchin's General Atlas.
Date: 1794 (dated)
Source: Kitchin, Thomas, Kitchin's General Atlas, describing the Whole Universe: being a complete collection of the most approved maps extant; corrected with the greatest care, and augmented from the last edition of D'Anville and Robert with many improvements by other eminent geographers, engraved on Sixty-Two plates, comprising Thirty Seven maps., Laurie & Whittle, London, 1797.
References: Rumsey 0411.028, 0411.029, 0411.030. Phillips (Atlases) 4300-26-27, 699. OCLC 7160203. Shirley, R., Maps in the atlases of the British Library, T.LAU-1c (1799 ed.). National Maritime Museum, 375 (3rd ed. 1801).
Cartographer: Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697-1782) was perhaps the most important and prolific cartographer of the 18th century. D'Anville's love of cartography manifested itself at the tender age of fifteen, when he amused himself by composing maps for Latin authors. At twenty-two D'Anville was appointed Geographer to the King of France. As both a cartographer and a geographer, he instituted a reform in the general practice of cartography. Unlike most cartographers, D'Anville did not rely on earlier maps to inform his work, rather he based his maps on actual surveys and research that he conducted himself. His maps were thus the most accurate and comprehensive of his period. Thomas Basset and Philip Porter write: "It was because of D'Anville's resolve to depict only those features which could be proven to be true that his maps are often said to represent a scientific reformation in cartography." (The Journal of African History, Vol. 32, No. 3 (1991), pp. 367-413). The work of D'Anville thus marks a critical point in the history of cartography and opens the way to the maps of English cartographers Cary, Thomson and Pinkerton in the early 19th century. Click here for a list of rare maps by Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville.
Cartographer: Laurie and Whittle (fl. 1794 - 1858) were London, England, based map and atlas publishers active in the late 18th and early 19th century. Generally considered to be the successors to the Robert Sayer firm, Laurie and Whittle was founded by Robert Laurie (c. 1755 - 1836) and James Whittle (1757-1818). Robert Laurie was a skilled mezzotint engraver and is known to have worked with Robert Sayer on numerous projects. James Whittle was a well-known London socialite and print seller whose Fleet Street shop was a popular haunt for intellectual luminaries. The partnership began taking over the general management of Sayer's firm around 1787; however, they did not alter the Sayer imprint until after Sayer's death in 1794. Apparently Laurie did most of the work in managing the firm and hence his name appeared first in the "Laurie and Whittle" imprint. Together Laurie and Whittle published numerous maps and atlases, often bringing in other important cartographers of the day, including Kitchin, Faden, Jefferys and others to update and modify their existing Sayer plates. Robert Laurie retired in 1812, leaving the day to day management of the firm to his son, Richard Holmes Laurie (1777 - 1858). Under R. H. Laurie and James Whittle, the firm renamed itself "Whittle and Laurie". Whittle himself died in six years later in 1818, and thereafter the firm continued under the imprint of "R. H. Laurie". After R. H. Laurie's death the publishing house and its printing stock came under control of A. G. Findlay, who had long been associated with Laurie and Whittle. Since, Laurie and Whittle has passed through numerous permeations, with part of the firm still extant as an English publisher of maritime or nautical charts, 'Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd.' Click here for a list of rare maps from Laurie & Whittle.
Cartographer: Thomas Kitchin (1718 - 1784) was a London based cartographic engraver and publisher. Kitchin was a very active engraver who produced a large corpus of work both in and out of the cartographic arena. He is responsible for numerous maps published in the London Magazine, and is known to have partnered, at various times, with Thomas Jefferys, Emmanuel Bowen and Laurie and Whittle. Many of Kitchin's maps continued to be updated and published well after his death in 1784. Click here for a list of rare maps by Thomas Kitchin.
Size: Printed area measures 48 x 42 inches (121.92 x 106.68 centimeters)
Condition: Very good condition. Original folds. Minor offsetting. Blank on verso. Original platemark visible. Wide clean margins. Four sheets joined into two panels.
Code: Asia-anville-1794 (Necessary for phone inquiries: 646-320-8650)
|