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Romeyn De Hooghe: Carte Nouvelle des Costes de Bretagne depuis St. Malo jusques a l'emboucheure de la Riviere de Loire

Map: FR3313
 
Cartographer: Romeyn De Hooghe
Title: Carte Nouvelle des Costes de Bretagne depuis St. Malo jusques a l'emboucheure de la Riviere de Loire
Date: 1708
Published: Amsterdam
Width: 37 inches / 94 cm
Height: 23 inches / 59 cm
Map ref: FR3313
Description:
Magnificent chart of Brittany with insets of Brest, St. Malo, Conquerneau (modern Concarneau) and St. Louis de Blavet on the lower left.

This is arguably the most beautiful and striking atlas map of Brittany ever produced. It was part of a series of maps drawn and designed by Romeyn de Hooghe, a noted Dutch artist in the employ of William III of Britain. The combination of extraordinary aesthetics with such a high degree of cartographic accuracy is unique for this period. It was part of the Dutch edition of the Neptune Francois published by Pierre Mortier.

The “Neptune Francois” was first issued simultaneously in Paris and Amsterdam by Hubert Jaillot and Pierre Mortier respectively in 1693. The project was highly successful and Mortier developed the Atlas by adding two more sections or volumes to it. The first, Vol II was also issued in 1693 and consisted of a set of charts provided by the noted Dutch artist Romeyn de Hooghe. Collectively these are known as the “ Cartes Marines a l’Usage des Armees du Roy de Grande Bretagne” and were originally drawn for William III of Great Britain. De Hooghe was primarily an artist and his charts bear a distinctive pictorial aspect. They have become renowned for their aesthetics, being cited as the most beautiful set of charts ever published. Volume III added in 1700, entitled “Suite de Neptune” concentrated on charts outside of French territory, including maps of the New World, the West Indies, South East Asia and the Indian Ocean among others.

Mortier’s edition was a prestige work. Later scholars have found that his book was the most expensive sea atlas produced in Amsterdam up to that time. On the rare occasions that an example of one of the maps in full original colour can be obtained, it is easily perceived why this work is cited as one of the finest and most spectacular atlases ever produced.

Magnificent original colour. [FR3313]
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