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The Carte du Golphe de l’Espece by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, published in 1764 as part of his Petit Atlas Maritime, offers a detailed depiction of the Gulf of Spezia (modern-day Golfo della Spezia) on the Ligurian coast of Italy. This chart highlights the gulf's strategic and maritime significance during the 18th century, showcasing both its natural features and man-made structures.
The map focuses on the Gulf of Spezia. The Ville de l’Espece (Spezia) is prominently displayed, featuring a fortified citadel and harbor, reflecting its importance as a defensive and commercial hub. Nearby, the Isle de Palmérie (Palmaria Island) is marked, along with smaller islets such as Ilot du Thin and Ilot d’Anet. Notable coastal landmarks like “Le Diamant” and towers such as Tour Quarrée and Tour du Diable emphasize the region's strategic and navigational importance, as well as the promontory and fort above Lerici.
At the far left are the town of Venere and Port Venere, gateway the the Cinque Terre immediately west of Venere.
The Gulf of Spezia, part of the Republic of Genoa during the map’s creation, was an important maritime region in the Mediterranean. Its deep, natural harbor made it a vital point for trade and defense.
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.
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