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Rare German Map of China

Rare map of 18th Century China, which appeared in Semler's Uebersetzung d. Algemeinen Welthistorie die in England durch eine Geselschaft von Gelehrten ausgefertigt worden.

The map presents a highly detailed treatment of China, with a decorative vignette of indigenous peoples.

The map is based largely on the work of Jean-Baptiste Bourguignon d'Anville, a preeminent French cartographer, who significantly advanced the geographical understanding of 18th-century China, setting a new standard for accuracy in mapping. His seminal work, premised on rigorous analysis of existing materials and meticulous incorporation of firsthand reports from Jesuit missionaries, marked a departure from the speculative cartography of his predecessors. D'Anville’s dedication to empirical evidence and critical examination of sources culminated in his 1735 Carte de la Chine.

D'Anville's approach was revolutionary. Unlike many of his contemporaries who relied heavily on derivative mapping, d'Anville sought to corroborate the geographical data available to him. His work was grounded in a vast array of sources, including Chinese imperial maps and Jesuit missionary accounts, which he integrated with European geographic knowledge. 

Historically, d'Anville’s Carte de la Chine was instrumental in bridging the gap between Eastern and Western geographical knowledge. At a time when China was largely mysterious to Europeans, his map offered a window into the complex and sophisticated realm of Chinese civilization.  D'Anville's meticulous methodology and his insistence on accuracy and clarity in mapping have had a lasting impact on the field of cartography. His work not only advanced European knowledge of China but also exemplified the shift towards a more scientific and empirical approach to map-making. This methodological shift underscored the importance of primary sources and critical examination in the production of maps, principles that continue to underpin the discipline of cartography today.

Rarity

This is the second time we have seen the map in over 30 years (1992-2024).