Antique Map of Martinique by Bellin (1758)

Description: Antique map titled 'Carte Reduite de l'Isle de la Martinique Dressee au Depost des Cartes Plans et Journaux de la Marine.' Superb, large scale chart of the island Martinique filled with incredible detail. It shows roads, topography, soundings, villages, windmills, and plantations. An large inset "Plan du Cul de Sac Royal de la Martinique" is surrounded by a rococo cartouche, balanced by the floral title cartouche in the opposite corner. Rhumb lines and a compass rose complete the composition. Its meticulous topographical and nautical detail makes this one of the major 18th century maps of Martinique. Source unknown, to be determined.

Artists and Engravers: Jacques Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772): French cartographer and engeneer with the Departement de la Marine. Jacques Nicolas Bellin worked for the Depot des Cartes et Plans de la Marine over fifty years. In 1741 he was appointed ingenieur hydrographe de la Marine. Later Bellin become 'Hidrographe du Roy' and a member of the Royal Society in London. In 1764 he published Petit Atlas Maritime in five volumes which contained several hundred maps. Among his other works are maps to l'Abbe Prevost's Histoire Generale des Voyages (1746-1757). Bellin also produced many accurate and finely engraved separately issued maps.