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C1748
A New & Accurate Map of China. Drawn from the …
Mapmaker:
Scarce, c.18th hand coloured engraved map of China based on the extensive the surveys made by the French Jesuits 1708-1716 by the order of the Kangxi Emperor. At lower left is a decorative title cartouche and at lower right there … Read Full Description
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Details
Full Title:
A New & Accurate Map of China. Drawn from the Surveys made by the Jesuit Missionaries, by order of the Emperor. The Whole being Regulated by Numerous Astronomical Observations.
Date:
C1748
Mapmaker:
Condition:
In good condition, with centre fold as issued.
Technique:
Hand coloured copper engraving.
Image Size:
430mm
x 350mm
Paper Size:
457mm
x 405mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1748
Description:
Scarce, c.18th hand coloured engraved map of China based on the extensive the surveys made by the French Jesuits 1708-1716 by the order of the Kangxi Emperor.
At lower left is a decorative title cartouche and at lower right there is an ‘explanation‘ key while at top left is an extensive description of Bowen’s Jesuits sources which he individually names.
The Kingdom of Corea (Korea) and Taiwan is named ‘Tay-Wan or Formosa’.
From Harris, J. Navigantium atque itinerantium bibliotheca or, a Complete Collection of Voyages and Travel.
Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 998720
National Library New Zealand: fREng HARR Navi 1744
State Library New South Wales: Call Number: RB/F909.8A/13
State Library Victoria: RARESF 910.8 H24 B
State Library South Australia: RGS Special Coll. 910.8 H314 d
References:
abin, J. A Dictionary of Books Relating to America, from its Discovery to the Present Time. New York. (1936) 1967 : 30483.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 : 775.
National Library Australia, Mapping Our World. Canberra 2013 : p.143.
Emanuel Bowen (1693 - 1767)
Prominent c.18th Welsh map engraver and geographer who held the prestigious title of Royal Mapmaker, to both King George II of Great Britain and Louis XV of France. Born around 1694 in Talley, Carmarthenshire, he moved to London to apprentice under the globe maker Charles Price. By the 1720s, he had established himself as a leading figure in the London map-making trade, known for a signature style that combined technical accuracy with an abundance of decorative and informative detail.
His work was characterized by a tendency to fill the empty spaces of his maps with dense historical notes, geographical descriptions, and elaborate cartouches. This made his maps not only tools for navigation but also encyclopaedic resources for the 18th-century reader. Later in his career, he collaborated with Thomas Kitchin to produce The Large English Atlas, which remained one of the most comprehensive sets of English county maps for decades.
Despite his prolific output and the high status of his clientele, Bowen’s life ended in financial hardship. He trained several notable apprentices, including his son Thomas Bowen and his son-in-law Thomas Kitchin, yet he struggled to maintain his wealth. By the time of his death in May 1767, he had lost much of his eyesight and lived in poverty, reportedly due to family expenses.
