Bidspirit auction | Chatelain - Large Map of

Chatelain - Large Map of Pacific & Americas [Carte tres curieuse de la Mer du Sud …] - About the map: This exceptional large format map of the Americas is entitled ”Carte tres curieuse de la Mer du Sud, contenant des remarques nouvelles... mais aussy sur les principaux pays de l'Amerique... avec les noms & la route des voyageurs par qui la decouverte en a ete faite.” It was part of Henri Abraham Chatelain's Atlas Historique. The work was published by the author in Amsterdam between 1718 and 1720. ”One of the most elaborately engraved maps of the western hemisphere ever produced.” (Schwartz & Ehrenberg, p.142; pl.85) The map was completed by Henri Chatelain with strong influence from Guillaume de l'Isle's work. This is a large engraved map of the Pacific and Americas originally presented on four sheets. This has been joined and reinforced. It detailed the Americas and trade and travel routes on the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The map shows Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, Labrador, the Great Lakes, Colonial United States, California [as an island, though he was one of the first to notate that it could be attached to continental North America], New Mexico, Louisiana, Florida, Illinois, New York, Carolina, Mexico, West Indies and Caribbean Islands, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, parts of Asia [China, Japan, Philippines], Australia, and parts of Europe and Africa. The title is set above the upper margin, each pair of sheets with graticuled border, the oceans marked with the tracks of the great Portuguese and Dutch navigators, Le Maire and Schouten, Magellan, Olivier van Noort and L'Hermite, lower and upper margins decorated with inset vignettes, plans of harbours and cities, portraits and explanatory texts. The lavish decoration, extensive texts and high quality engraving, together with the encyclopaedic texts, create an impressive image of the Pacific Ocean. Numerous insets and vignettes are present in the borders. They include scenes of European explorers, Niagara Falls, hunting, mills, mines, a Mexican Temple, human sacrific ritual, and more. Chatelain also included medallions recognizing explorers important to the discovery of America including: Christophe Colomb (Christopher Columbus), Amerique Vespuce (Amerique Vespucci), Olivier de Nord, Guillaume Dampierre, Magellan Portugais (Ferdinand Magellan), Jacques l'Hermite, François Darc, Guillaume Schouten (Willem Cornelisz Schouten), and Robert Cavelier de la Salle de Rouen (René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle). Description of the work: This originally hand-colored engraving is from Henri Abraham Chatelain's Atlas Historique . The work was published by the author in Amsterdam between 1718 and 1720. The text was compiled by Gueudeville & Garillon. The maps were completed by Chatelain with some influenced by Guillaume de l'Isle's work. The work was published in several editions with the second edition the first to include additional maps not found in the first including a map of the world, Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. These engravings come from mixed editions. Those from volumes 5 to 7 are first edition. The engravings from volumes 1 to 4 are from early ediitons. Atlas Historique was a highly ambitious and groundbreaking work covering genealogy, cosmography, topography, heraldry, and chronology. It was intended for the general public and the increased fascination with the recently conquered colonies and the new discoveries. Chatelain's maps are an outstanding example of the golden age of French mapmaking. Paper Size: ~ 56” by 34” (Fold Out) Paper Type or Special Features: Engraving with Original Hand-coloring