Carte de la partie orientale de la Nouvelle France ou du Canada, 1744

Collection

Identifier: MCC-00496

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of one black and white copy of a map by Jacques Nicolas Bellin. It depicts landmarks of eastern Canada and part of northeast America extending from Newfoundland to the borders of Lake Ontario and south to Cape Cod. The map is extremely detailed, showing regions, borders, cities, settlements, Native American lands, portages, mountains, lakes, and rivers. Annotations appear throughout the map.

This map, originally issued in 1744, became the foundation on which numerous cartographers based or copied their maps of the northeastern region. This map was reissued by Jonathan Sheppard Books, Albany, NY. The engraver is showing as F. Desbruslins

Dates

Creation: 1744
Other: Unknown

Creator

Bellin, Jacques Nicolas, 1703-1772 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions on access.

Biographical

Jacques Nicolas Bellin (1703 – 21 March 1772) was a French hydrographer, geographer, and member of the French intellectual group called the philosophes. Bellin was born in Paris. He was hydrographer of France's hydrographic office, member of the Académie de Marine and of the Royal Society of London. Over a 50-year career, he produced many maps of particular interest to the Ministère de la Marine. His maps of Canada and of French territories in North America (New France, Acadia, Louisiana) are particularly valuable. He died at Versailles.

In 1721, at age 18, he was appointed hydrographer (chief cartographer) to the French Navy. In August 1741, he became the first Ingénieur de la Marine of the Dépot des cartes et plans de la Marine (the French Hydrographical Office) and was named Official Hydrographer of the French King.