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Stock# 107481

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Jacques Nicolas Bellin

Title

[ Orinoco River ] Cours de l'Orenoque Depuis ses sources jusqu'a la Mer, Avec les Rivieres qui s'y dechargent

Publication Place / Date

Paris / 1764

Image Dimensions

17.5 x 9 inches

Color

Hand Colored

Condition

VG+

Stock# 107481

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Description

This detailed map of the Orinoco River Basin is from Jacques-Nicolas Bellin's 1764 Petite Atlas Maritime, depicting the course of the Orinoco River from its sources to the sea, along with the rivers and regions that flow into it.

This detailed cartographic representation covers a vast area of northern South America, including parts of present-day Venezuela, Colombia, and the Guianas. The map illustrates major geographical features such as the Andes Mountains, numerous tributaries, and the complex river delta of the Orinoco, known as the "Bocca Grande" or "Grande Embouchure de l’Orenoque," where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Significant attention is given to the indigenous nations, like the Palenques, Guamos, and Caribes, marking their territories along the riverbanks. The map also shows various colonial settlements, including St. Thomas de Guyane and St. Antoine, and notes unexplored or uninhabited areas, such as "Plaines inhabitèes" (Uninhabited Plains). Bellin's work reflects the European interest in mapping and documenting South American river systems for navigation, trade, and colonial expansion during the 18th century. The cartouche in the bottom right corner provides the title "Cours de L’Orenoque," elegantly framed, highlighting the map's focus and its importance as a navigational aid.

Jacques Nicolas Bellin Biography

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.