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Striking map of the coast of Guiana, published by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, a prominent French cartographer. The map captures the regions of Guiana, parts of northern South America, including present-day French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and portions of Venezuela and Brazil.
This map, produced during an era when European colonial powers were intensely interested in South American territories, reflects the strategic and economic importance of Guiana for the French, Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese empires. The accuracy and detail in Bellin’s map are indicative of his position as the chief cartographer of the French Hydrographic Service, where he was tasked with producing charts that were used for both navigational purposes and to support territorial claims.
The map covers a broad expanse from the Orinoco River in the west to the Amazon in the east, showcasing various geographical features and settlements. Notably, the region of Nouvelle Grenade (New Granada) is shown with towns such as Popayán and Cali. To the east, the map depicts the coastline of Guiana with ports like Cayenne and Cap de Nord, underscoring the strategic significance of these locations.
The intricate network of rivers is a key feature of the map, with the Orinoco, Essequibo, and Amazon rivers prominently detailed. These rivers were vital for exploration, trade routes, and territorial disputes among European powers. The depiction of mountain ranges, labeled territories, and indigenous settlements further adds depth to the map’s narrative of the region’s geography.
The map clearly delineates colonial possessions and territorial boundaries, reflecting the contested nature of the region in the 18th century. The western part is labeled Nouvelle Grenade, under Spanish control, while to the east, Guiane, encompassing the areas controlled by the Dutch, French, and Portuguese, is meticulously charted. The use of labels such as Bocca Grande and Bouches de l’Orenoque highlights the importance of river mouths as entry points for trade and military endeavors.
Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703-1772) was among the most important mapmakers of the eighteenth century. In 1721, at only the age of 18, he was appointed Hydrographer to the French Navy. In August 1741, he became the first Ingénieur de la Marine of the Dépôt des cartes et plans de la Marine (the French Hydrographic Office) and was named Official Hydrographer of the French King.
During his term as Official Hydrographer, the Dépôt was the one of the most active centers for the production of sea charts and maps in Europe. Their output included a folio-format sea atlas of France, the Neptune Francois. He also produced a number of sea atlases of the world, including the Atlas Maritime and the Hydrographie Francaise. These gained fame and distinction all over Europe and were republished throughout the eighteenth and even in the nineteenth century.
Bellin also produced smaller format maps such as the 1764 Petit Atlas Maritime, containing 580 finely-detailed charts. He also contributed a number of maps for the 15-volume Histoire Generale des Voyages of Antoine François Prévost.
Bellin set a very high standard of workmanship and accuracy, cementing France's leading role in European cartography and geography during this period. Many of his maps were copied by other mapmakers across the continent.
![[El Dorado] Partie de Terre Ferme ou sont Guiane et Caribane Augmentee et Corrigee suivant les dernieres Relations . . . 1656](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/47044.jpg)
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