A New Map of the United Provinces

The Netherlands. Fine, detailed map comprehending Holland, Zealand, Utrecht, Gelders, Friesland and Groningen. Original colour.

JOHN CARY (1754-1835).

John Cary dominated British cartography for almost half a century. His enormous output of fine work included atlases, geographical publications, county maps, canal plans, road books and globes.

He was born in Wiltshire in 1754 and at the age of 16 he was apprenticed to the London engraver William Palmer. From 1779 Cary engraved under his own name and, during the following five decades, produced and published over 600 maps.

Some of his more important publications include: "New and Correct English Atlas" (1787), Camden's "Britannia" (1789), "Travellers' Companion" (1790), "New Universal Atlas" (1808), "English Atlas" (1809), as well as various terrestrial and celestial globes. Most of his atlases were re issued in numerous editions.

It is the clarity and accuracy of Cary's maps which raise them above those of most of his competitors. His maps are not decorative in the 17th century sense, but he came to prominence at a time when the large scale county maps had recently become available, roads were being used as never before and accurate geographical information from distant countries was being received in great detail.

Following in the footsteps of Thomas Kitchen, the Bowens and their contemporaries, Cary was to develop their artistic and geographical skills and may claim to be the first of the "modern" mapmakers combining attractive functional beauty with geographic accuracy.