Provincia Indigenis dicta La Provence

A splendid map of Provence in vibrant original hand-colour with a large inset map of the harbour of Toulon and an elaborate title cartouche. This map was published during, or shortly after, the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714) during which France found itself aligned against the Grand Alliance of Britain, Austria, Prussia, the Netherlands, and Savoy. The French fighting spirit is captured in the cartouche (lower left) which shows the noblemen of Provence offering their wealth to Marshall General de Villars, the leader of the French army, in support of the war effort. Meanwhile, a French city burns in the background, as does a fleet of ships, likely a reference to the scuttling of the French fleet at Toulon in 1707 to prevent it from falling into the hands of the British.



In the lower-right corner is an inset map of Toulon and it environs showing the city's defenses and the failed attack on the city in 1707. Despite losing their entire Mediterranean fleet, the French were able to hold the city, forcing over 13,000 Allied casualties in the process.



Unusually vibrant original hand-colour. [FR3250]