Spain Map - Based on Rodrigo Mendez Sylva, Rectified by Observations, 1701

Copper engraving handcolored with watercolor. Paper contains watermark outline color. Relief shown pictorially. Printed in cartouche in upper right corner: "l'espagne dressée sur la description qui en a été faite par rodrigo mendez sylva et sur plusieurs relations et cartes manuscrites ou imprimés de ce royaume rectifiées par les observations de mrs. De l'academie des sciences & autres asstronomes. Par g de l'isle goegraphe a paris chez l'auteur sur le quai de l'horloge avec privilege du roy pour 20. Ans. 1701. " printed beneath cartouche: "car. Simoneau inv et sculp. Printed in lower left corner: "berey sculpsit. " written in ink in upper right corner: "61. " depicts spain, portugal, part of southern france, a small part of the mediterranean sea and some of northwest africa. Spain and portugal have been divided into three major regions including: "etats de portugal" on the west coast, "etats de castille" in the center and "etats d'aragon on the east coast. The strait of gibraltar is visible between spain and the northwest tip of africa. Three islands in the mediterranean are shown off of spain's western coast: "isle d'ivica", "isle de mallorca," and i. De minorca. " beneath the cartouche, an inprint of text from a prior printing is evident, but illegible. Surrounding the cartouche are illustrations of reclining classical figures, flora, and horses. Scale: 1:2,600,000. Guillaume de l'isle (1675-1726) was a cartographer and the premier geographer to the king in france beginning in 1718. His family played a significant part in the world of french cartography in the eighteenth century. At age 9, he drew his first map and at age 27 he became a member of the académie royale des sciences. He studied under jacques cassini, acquiring knowledge in both mathematics and astronomy. Due to his academic background and his "critical approach to the maps of his predecessors," he became known as the first "scientific cartographer" (moreland and bannister, 132). Among his works are "globe, map of the world and the four continents" (1700), "atlas de géographie" (1700-12), "mississippi" (1701), "carte du mexique et de la floride…" (c. A. 1703), "carte de la louisiane et du mississippi" (1718) and posthumously, "atlas noveau" (1730 and later). Following his death, his widow took up the business with a partner, philippe buache (tooley 395; moreland and bannister, 131-2). This particular map was most likely published in de l'isle's "atlas de géographie" (david rumsey cartography associates). The map is apparently based on a description of spain written by rodrigo mendez sylva. Source(s): david rumsey cartography associates. "david rumsey collection. L'espagne. Dressee sur la…" accessed 19 mar 2009. Moreland, carl and david bannister. "antique maps: a collector's handbook. " new york: longman group, ltd. , 1983. Tooley, ronald vere. "tooley's dictionary of mapmakers. " hertfordshire: map collector publications limited, 1979. Subjects (lcsh): spain-maps-early works to 1800.;mendez silva, rodrigo, 1607-1675. Date: 1701. Dimensions: height: 44 cm (17.3 in); width: 63 cm (24.8 in). Collection: University of Washington.