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Covens (Jean) & Mortier (Cornelius)
Mappe Monde, 1750 c.
17 x 26 in
43 x 66 cm
43 x 66 cm
WLD4323
£ 3,750.00
Covens (Jean) & Mortier (Cornelius), Mappe Monde, 1750 c.
Sold
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Guillaume de L'Isle was one of the most influential map makers in the history of cartography. Although he only lived for 51 years, between 1675-1726, he is credited with establishing...
Guillaume de L'Isle was one of the most influential map makers in the history of cartography. Although he only lived for 51 years, between 1675-1726, he is credited with establishing the "Scientific School" of geography in Paris in the early 18th century. His maps were trusted, influential and highly accurate for the time. He was favoured by the French Crown and made the Cartographer to the Dauphin, a position which included teaching geography to the young Louis XV and most importantly, it gave him access to French government maps from all over the world. It was mainly due to his efforts that Paris competed with and then surpassed Amsterdam as the centre of the European map trade during his lifetime. Ironically, from the 1720s, one of de L'Isle's strongest markets became Amsterdam, where his maps were published by the highly successful firm of Jean Covens and Cornelis Mortier. They often added their own touches and always their own imprint to the maps but they also always made sure de L'Isle retained the main credit as the author.
This map of the world is a late Dutch issue published in Amsterdam in the mid18th century. Fundamentally, this map is based on one of De L'Isle's later revisions of this own map which was first issued in 1700. The shape of Asia corresponds to de L'Isle's map of 1723 but with several changes; these include the addition of the Kamchatka Peninsula to the east coast and the addition of the island of Yesso north of Japan. Previously, it was unclear if Yesso was a Peninsula, an island, or a region on the coast of Asia. Earlier maps often portray it as vast yet unexplored land mass situated between Asia and America. The persistent myth of "Company's Land" a mythical island or coastline supposedly sighted by Maarten de Vries northeast of Japan and claimed for the Dutch East India Company in 1643 still clings stubbornly to existence and now can be seen on the eastern edge of the map.
Africa follows the orthodox later de L'Isle shape and as do the Americas post the 1722 edition of that map although here again there are substantial updates. These focus on the Pacific Northwest coast, integrating the discoveries made by Vitus Bering on his second voyage, showing the first tentative parts of the coastline of Alaska. Covens and Mortier also still retain some of the mythical "Bay of the West" the huge mythical bay supposedly present in the region of the modern Juan de Fuca Straits, yet another manifestation of the possible entrance to the Northwest Passage.
In the first issue of this map by Covens and Mortier in 1720, they added a marine panorama on the lower border, an acknowledgement of the different tastes of the Amsterdam public. However, as the Age of Enlightenment became more prevalent through Europe this panorama disappeared and Covens and Mortier just left a cartouche with their imprint and a note stating that this map has been substantially corrected and updated. Otherwise, the ribbon title with its four figures on the upper border is a direct copy of the de L'Isle map; the map is further embellished with the routes of multiple important voyages of exploration from the early sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century.
This particular example is unusual as it is in full original hand colour.
[WLD4323]
This map of the world is a late Dutch issue published in Amsterdam in the mid18th century. Fundamentally, this map is based on one of De L'Isle's later revisions of this own map which was first issued in 1700. The shape of Asia corresponds to de L'Isle's map of 1723 but with several changes; these include the addition of the Kamchatka Peninsula to the east coast and the addition of the island of Yesso north of Japan. Previously, it was unclear if Yesso was a Peninsula, an island, or a region on the coast of Asia. Earlier maps often portray it as vast yet unexplored land mass situated between Asia and America. The persistent myth of "Company's Land" a mythical island or coastline supposedly sighted by Maarten de Vries northeast of Japan and claimed for the Dutch East India Company in 1643 still clings stubbornly to existence and now can be seen on the eastern edge of the map.
Africa follows the orthodox later de L'Isle shape and as do the Americas post the 1722 edition of that map although here again there are substantial updates. These focus on the Pacific Northwest coast, integrating the discoveries made by Vitus Bering on his second voyage, showing the first tentative parts of the coastline of Alaska. Covens and Mortier also still retain some of the mythical "Bay of the West" the huge mythical bay supposedly present in the region of the modern Juan de Fuca Straits, yet another manifestation of the possible entrance to the Northwest Passage.
In the first issue of this map by Covens and Mortier in 1720, they added a marine panorama on the lower border, an acknowledgement of the different tastes of the Amsterdam public. However, as the Age of Enlightenment became more prevalent through Europe this panorama disappeared and Covens and Mortier just left a cartouche with their imprint and a note stating that this map has been substantially corrected and updated. Otherwise, the ribbon title with its four figures on the upper border is a direct copy of the de L'Isle map; the map is further embellished with the routes of multiple important voyages of exploration from the early sixteenth century to the early eighteenth century.
This particular example is unusual as it is in full original hand colour.
[WLD4323]
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