Le Fameux Detroit de Gibraltar

A beautifully decorative map of the Straits of Gibraltar with north pointing to the left of the map.

De Fer (1646-1720) was the son of a prominent engraver and produced his first map in 1669. He joined his father's business in 1673 and ultimately took over in 1687. He was a prolific map maker who produced over six hundred separate maps in multiple forms; as separate issues, bound within history and travel books, and as atlases. In the late 17th century he was made Geographer to the Dauphin.

Although Levanto issued a chart of the Straits of Gibraltar in 1664, this is still one of the earliest maps of this strategic waterway as well as being one of the most picturesque with a very different perspective than the earlier Dutch sea charts.
The Straits show multiple ships sailing through it and the engraving indicates the mountainous regions bordering the southern Iberian coast and the northern African coast. The Spanish enclave of Ceuta is clearly marked and an inset on the left shows the southern coast of the Portuguese Kingdom of the Algarve from Cape St. Vincent to Cadiz. Cape Trafalgar, the site of the pivotal future naval battle from the Napoleonic Wars is also marked.

Specifically during this period, Gibraltar was the site of several major conflicts during the War of the Spanish Succession, probably one of the reasons for de Fer's focus on the map. We have been unable to find a source for his distinctive rendition of the Straits in the Atlas Curieux. [SP2196]