Amérique Septentrionale…

  • Translation

Article ID AMU0996

Title

Amérique Septentrionale…

Description

Decorative map of the entire USA with the borders of the time, the Caribbean and Central America. Furthermore a partial map and a magnificent title cartouche.

Year

dated 1746

Artist

Anville´d (1697-1782)

Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville (1697 -1782), was a French geographer and the reformer of old and new cartography. Bourguignon d'Anville devoted himself early to geographical studies, already in the age of 21 became a royal geographer.With this appointment he later rose as a private secretary of Louis, Duke of Orléans. He published 211 maps and became a member of the Académie des sciences in 1773. His valuable map collection, consisting of 10,500 numbers, was purchased for the Royal Library of Paris, now the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. Jean Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville, was a geographer and cartographer who greatly improved the standards of map making. Particularly valuable are his maps of ancient geography, which are characterized by careful, accurate work and are largely based on original research. He left unknown areas of continents blank and noted dubious information as such; compared to the elaborate maps of his predecessors, his maps seemed empty. His first serious map, that of ancient Greece, was published when he was fifteen years old. At the age of twenty-two he was appointed one of the king's geographers and began to attract the attention of the first authorities. D'Anville's studies included everything geographical in the world's literature as far as he could find it: To this end, he searched not only ancient and modern historians, travelers, and storytellers of every kind, but also poets, orators, and philosophers. One of his favorite themes was to reform geography by putting an end to blind copying of older maps, by testing the generally accepted positions of places by a rigorous examination of all descriptive authority, and by excluding from cartography any name that was inadequately supported.

Historical Description

The discovery of America means the first sighting of the American continent by seafarers. Before Columbus' arrival in 1492, North America may have had more inhabitants than Europe at that time. In 1497 the Genoese John Cabot (actually: Giovanni Caboto) became the first European since the Vikings to set foot on North American soil. However, permanent branches were not established for the time being. St. Augustine in Florida, founded in 1565 by the Spanish, is considered the first city on mainland North America, and is also the oldest city in the USA. Four states stood out in the European conquest of North America, each of which made it easier to take possession: England was under pressure to emigrate, also based on religion, and was thus able to represent the largest group in terms of numbers. France had special skills in dealing with the indigenous peoples, which later led to the only mixed ethnic group, the Métis, and the Netherlands had the financial means to establish colonies in North America. Spain had enormous military potential due to the combat experience. In 1604 the King of England Jacob I divided his North American colonies as follows: The area from the 1st to the 41st degree of latitude is said to be populated by the Virginia Company of London, the area from the 41st to the 45th degree the Plymouth Company. 1607 is considered the year of foundation of the first permanent colony of English settlers on the east coast of America. There was a collision between three cultures: Native Americans, white settlers and slaves from Africa. This year the first settlers from England landed in Jamestown, followed in 1620 by the (better known) pilgrims with the Mayflower in what is now the US state of Massachusetts. These could find shelter directly in the abandoned Indian settlements. The coastal Indians were now ready to cooperate and had Plymouth established the English gateway to North America.

Place of Publication Paris
Dimensions (cm)83 x 86
ConditionVery good
Coloringoriginal colored
TechniqueCopper print

Reproduction:

375.00 €

( A reproduction can be ordered individually on request. )