Carte de la Nouvelle Bretagne

A finely engraved, large scale chart of  New Guinea from Dumont D’Urville’s voyage 1826-1829, which was one of the greatest French voyages ever published.

This important voyage was one in a great series undertaken by the French government in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for scientific and political purposes. Led by Jules Dumont d’Urville, its intention “was to gain additional information about the principal groups of islands in the Pacific and to augment the mass of scientific data acquired by Louis Duperrey. The Astrolabe sailed south, around the Cape of Good Hope, and arrived at Port Jackson. Proceeding to New Zealand, its coast, especially the southern part of Cook Strait, was surveyed with great care. Tonga and parts of the Fiji Archipelago were explored, then New Britain, New Guinea, Amboina, Tasmania, Vanikoro, Guam and Java. The return home was by way of Mauritius and the Cape of Good Hope. Huge amounts of scientific materials were collected and published” (Hill 504).

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 : 1341.
Phillips, P. A List of Geographical Atlases in the Library of Congress. Washington 1973 : 201.
Brosse, J. Great Voyages of Exploration. The Golden Age of Discovery in the Pacific. Sydney 1983 : pp. 152-154..

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID: 760392
Te Papa Museum of New Zealand: Registration Number; RB001201, RB000276
State Library New South Wales: Call Number: RB/ RF990A/ 41
Bibliotheque Nationale de France: ark:/12148/bpt6k53565814
Yale University Library & Art Gallery: Folio A 2014 27
New York Public Library: b13624459
Bibliotheque Nationale de France: ark:/12148/bpt6k53565814
State Library Victoria: RARELT 508.3 D89V