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This 1764 map by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin depicts the port and fortified town of Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on the northern coast of Africa near the Strait of Gibraltar. The map illustrates the layout of Ceuta’s fortifications, including the Ancienne Ceute (Old Ceuta), prominent defense structures, and towers. Notable features include the Tour Sentinelle (Watchtower), Maison du Gouverneur (Governor’s House), and other fortifications along the coastline. Topographical details highlight Mont Ceute and other elevations, while navigational markings, compass rose, and a decorative cartouche frame the composition. Coastal soundings and depth measurements, along with nearby islets, aid in navigation and emphasize Ceuta’s strategic position in the Mediterranean.
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.
![(Spanish Riviera) Plan de la Rade de la Carbouiere avec les Quartiers. . . [Plan of the Road of Carbouiere with the Quarters. . .]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/94405.jpg)
