Carte Reduite Des Mers du Nord

Interesting nautical chart of the North Atlantic from the mid-18th century

This fine copperplate engraved map was created by Jacques Nicholas Bellin in Paris in 1751 for the Depot de la Marine. A decorative Rococo title cartouche contains numerous elements reflecting France’s culture, martial might, and regal authority, capped off by the royal coat of arms and supported by banks of oars. It contains French text indicating the chart was issued for use by the king’s vessels by order of Antoine Louis Rouille, who replaced Maurepas in the position of Secretary of Navy two years prior to publication.

The image presents a detailed overview of the coastline of the North Atlantic Ocean between Baffin Bay in the west and the White Sea in the east. Toponyms are naturally concentrated along the shore, showing an interesting variety of place names and geographic features. Depth soundings and navigational hazards are noted in several locations and topography is depicted pictorially. Of note is Mount Heckla in Iceland, shown as a volcano (it violently erupted in 1793).

An annotation on the eastern shore of Greenland indicates it was ‘plotted only by conjecture’ and another note indicates ‘unknown coast’ south of Baffin’s Bay. Interestingly, there is an explorer’s track seen nearby. This particular example of the map may have been used by an 18th-century explorer, though likely of the armchair variety. It features delicate manuscript rhumb lines crisscrossing the entire image. They were applied with a skillful hand, probably with a quill, and show both solid and hashed lines with great precision.

Sources: Stanford University; The Mystery of the Northwest Passage;