Particularitez Curieuses de L’Ile de St. Christophle et de la Province de Bermarin dans les Antilles

An engaging colonial overview of the island of St. Kitts.

This fascinating composite image offers an interesting 18th century French perspective on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts (named St. Christopher in the title). Three scenes at the top of the sheet present imagery that would have been of tremendous interest to a contemporary audience.

The views include the estate surrounding the opulent governor’s palace (left), native inhabitants warmly welcoming a French envoy (middle), and the mythical utopian kingdom of Apalache (right). Descriptive text in the center of the sheet provides information on local geography, habits of the Native Americans, historical information (of suspect accuracy), and details on political organization. The last is of particular interest, as around the time of publication the island, rich in sugarcane production, was entirely under the control of the British. Various exotic fauna can be seen near the bottom of the page.

The sheet was published in Paris around 1730 as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720 but was re-printed in numerous subsequent editions. The scholarly work offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science that provides fascinating contemporary details through the inclusion of descriptive text, maps, charts, diagrams, and illustrations.