H68.228.3

Map. Description: Colored engraved map, Engraved copperplate map, colored in outline. De L'ISLE, Guillaume. Carte des Nouvelles Decouvertes au Nord de la Mer du Sud, Tant a l'Est de la Siberia et du Kamtchatka Qu'a l'ouest de la Nouvelle France. Very rare 1750 map by Guillaume de L'Isle showing Russian discoveries in Alaska. History: "A fine copy of the very rare first issue of this important map by Guillaume De L'Isle(1675-1726), who is regarded as the founder of modern geography. Drawn by De L'Isle's son-in-law, Philip Buache(1700-73), shows the tracks of all the voyages then known from the Asiatic coast to the northwest coast of America-incl. Frondat's voyage on the St. Antoine de Pade from Kamtchatka to Alaska in June, July 1741. The left and right hand upper corners fo the map contain vignettes repectively of an inhabitant of Kamchatka and a savage of northern Louisana. Map reissued in Paris by J. A. Dezauche from the same plate about 1780. It was also reengraved and publ. by Santini at Venice in 1784, but without credit to De L'Isle.

From the History Information StationObject: Map. Carte des Nouvelles Decouvertes au Nord..., by Guillaume de L'isle. This map was first printed in Paris in 1750, from an engraved copperplate, and then hand colored.History: Guillame de L'isle (1675-1726) was a famous figure in 18th century French cartography. He began as a map publisher in 1700, and later became a leading cartographer. De L'isle worked towards improvement of the standards of accuracy in cartography. He is known as the initiator of the reformation of cartography, as he incorporated data furnished by geodesists and astronomers and did not indulge in guesswork to fill in blanks in knowledge; where nothing was known about a particular area, he left a blank space. This map which shows Russian discoveries in Alaska was actually drawn by Philip Buache, de L'isle's son-in-law.Museum PurchasePictures of PlacesA map is a picture of how cartographers, or mapmakers, think the world looks. Early mapmaking combined artistic skill with scientific and mathematical knowledge. The first cartographers were handicapped by deficiencies both of knowledge and technique, such as poor surveying methods and instruments and nonstandardized units of measure. As information about the geography of newly-discovered lands was brought back to Europe, a more accurate model of the world began to take shape. Some maps and charts were hand drawn, and show the individual style of the draughtsman. Later, maps were engraved on metal plates and printed. Until the 19th century, maps were handcolored, or illuminated. Designs and ornate legends were used to embellish maps and make them attractive as well as instructive, and in many early maps, ignorance was often disguised by fancy. Maps were the tools of practical men, and suffered hard use; as new knowledge came to light, outdated maps were discarded. Those that survived, did so in the libraries of those who valued them for their beauty, history, and antiquity.