Carte des Decouvertes du Capite Carteret dans la Nlle. Bretagne,..

Title

Carte des Decouvertes du Capite Carteret dans la Nlle. Bretagne,..

Description

Six maps and a compass rose on one sheet. They show New Guinea, partly Papua New Guinea, etc.

ca. 1780

Artist

Bonne (1727-1795)

Rigobert Bonne (1727–1795) was one of the most important cartographers of the late 18th century. In 1773 Bonne succeeded Jacques Nicolas Bellin as Royal Cartographer to France in the office of the Hydrographer at the Depôt de la Marine. Working in his official capacity, Bonne compiled some of the most detailed and accurate maps of the period. Bonne’s work represents an important step in the evolution of the cartographic ideology away from the decorative work of the 17th and early 18th century towards a more detail oriented and practical aesthetic. With regard to the rendering of terrain Bonne maps bear many stylistic similarities to those of his predecessor, Bellin. However, Bonne maps generally abandon such common 18th century decorative features such as hand coloring, elaborate decorative cartouches, and compass roses. While mostly focusing on coastal regions, the work of Bonne is highly regarded for its detail, historical importance, and overall aesthetic appeal.

Historical Description

The Portuguese Jorge de Meneses, who explored the north coast and offshore islands in 1526/27, is considered the island's European explorer. In 1545 the Spaniard Íñigo Ortiz de Retez landed and named the island "New Guinea" because the coast reminded him of that of the African Guinea, which he had previously passed. In 1623 Jan Carstenszoon mapped large parts of the coast on behalf of the Dutch East India Company. Since then, the Dutch East India Company has maintained business and political contacts with the region and the Sultanate of Tidore.