Rigobert Bonne; 1729-1793.
Bonne, a trained mathematician, was appointed Hydrographer
to the King. He took over the responsibility of the French
Hydrographic Institute ("Dépôt de la Marine") after the death
of Bellin in 1772. This position enabled Bonne to the unparalleled
access to prime mapping data, which he could use successfully
for his own private business interests.
He followed in the steps of the French school of cartographic
minutiae and geographic accuracy. As such he produced, often
in collaboration with other mapmakers, a large number of excellent
sea charts.
His name is generally associated with a type of equal area
projection he often used after 1757.
Of note, his participation (with Janvier and Rizzi-Zannoni)
to Jean Lattré's 1762 "Atlas Moderne". But he is most well
known for the wealth of maps he prepared for Guillaume Thomas
François Raynal's "Atlas de toutes les parties connues du
globe terrestre" (1780), and also for Nicolas Desmaret*'s
"Atlas Encyclopédique" (1787, re-issued in 1827).
* Desmaret: of engineering fame for the first recorded design
of a tunnel between France and England in 1751.
Etats Unis de l'Amerique.
This map (17 3/8" X 11 1/2") was originally produced for
the 1762 "Atlas Moderne". This book included two maps describing
North America, a first map showing mostly Canada, and a second
one showing what will become the USA. Hence the original title
for this map "l'Amerique septentrionale 2".
To account for the results of the 1783 second treaty of Paris
(when the English crown recognized the independence of thirteen
colonies), re-editions after 1783 were corrected and augmented
with numerous maps of the new North American geography.
Strangely, the map makes also room for the future state of
Maine (which will not gain statehood before 1820).
Note also that Vermont is still included in New Hampshire,
it will be emancipated soon after in 1791 as the 14th state
of the union).
Florida, returned to Spanish sovereignty, is still partitioned
in two: East and West.
The peninsula coastline part is poorly delineated, and its
hinterland is devoid of much details.
No text on verso.
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