Nouvelle Carte des Cotes de Catalogne, Rousillon, Languedoc, Provence, L'Italie et Partie de L'Isle de Corse

This extraordinary French chart stretches from Valencia and Catalonia in Spain, through the Southern coast of France encompassing Toulon, Marseille, Nice, Monaco and then through to the Ligurian coast including Genoa, finishing on the coast of Tuscany. Numerous insets show important ports at the time. It is embellished with a magnificent cartouche, three elegant compass roses, and rhumb lines. Compiled by Henri Michelot and Laurent Brémond for their atlas of 16 large Mediterranean sea charts.



Henri Michelot was one of the most important French chartmakers of the late-17th and early-18th century. Unlike most of his peers, Michelot was a highly experienced sailor as Royal Pilot to the French galley fleet based in Marseille. Brémond's role in the production of the atlas is somewhat uncertain, though as Royal Hydrographer to Louis XIV, it is likely that his purview was printing, publishing, and selling the charts using Michelot's surveys.



Interestingly, an English edition of the atlas was issued in 1725 despite the rivalry between the two nations. Michelot's surveys were adapted by many contemporary mapmakers, including the English firm of Mount & Page who went so far as to credit Michelot in the titles of many of their Mediterranean charts. Unusually for this period, the chart was printed and sold in Marseilles.



Strong impression. [MED2104] [Tube]