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This map of Belgium and parts of the Netherlands was published by Charles Price, John Senex, and John Maxwell in London in the early 18th century. It presents a detailed depiction of the Spanish Provinces, extending to surrounding regions such as the Netherlands, northern France, and parts of England across the channel. According to the title, the map was based on the latest observations communicated to the Royal Society of London and the Royal Academy of Paris.
A striking feature of this map is its title cartouche, which takes the form of a star-shaped citadel. The design includes bastions, ravelins, and trenches, providing a clear illustration of early 18th-century military engineering and siege tactics. The dedication to the Earl of Sunderland, prominently noted in the upper right corner, reflects the map’s prestige.
John Senex (1678-1740) was one of the foremost mapmakers in England in the early eighteenth century. He was also a surveyor, globemaker, and geographer. As a young man, he was apprenticed to Robert Clavell, a bookseller. He worked with several mapmakers over the course of his career, including Jeremiah Seller and Charles Price. In 1728, Senex was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, a rarity for mapmakers. The Fellowship reflects his career-long association as engraver to the Society and publisher of maps by Edmund Halley, among other luminaries. He is best known for his English Atlas (1714), which remained in print until the 1760s. After his death in 1740 his widow, Mary, carried on the business until 1755. Thereafter, his stock was acquired by William Herbert and Robert Sayer (maps) and James Ferguson (globes).
Charles Price (1679?-1733) was an engraver, instrument maker, and mapseller.
Price had been apprenticed to John Seller, famous mapmaker and father to Charles’ business partner, Jeremiah. In fact, Jeremiah and Charles were made free of the Merchant Taylors Guild on the same day, September 1, 1703. The two were already working together by then.
After breaking off with Seller, Price worked with John Senex (1705-10) and George Wildey (1710-13). He was still working in the 1720s, but was in Fleet Prison in 1731 for debt and died two years later.
