Atlas de Voyage de La Pérouse autour du Monde, Atlas Elephant Folio formaat
Description of one of the most famous scientific expeditions ever undertaken in the Pacific (from 1785-1788), a milestone of maritime exploration with the purpose of discovering new parts not previously found by Capt. Cook
Type of object:
Atlases
Time period:
Ontdekkingsreizigers 18e eeuw
Place:
Paris
Date:
1797
Maker / Author:
Jean-François de GALAUP, Comte De La PÉROUSE
Publisher / Printer:
A Paris, Chez Plassan Imprimeur – Libraire, rue du Cimetière André-des-Arcs n° 10
Dimensions:
Elephant-folio format: front & rear covers: ± 63,5 x 47.1 cm
Plates: ± 61,5 cm x 45,6 cm for full-page also called single- page plates
Material:
Copperprint plates in Atlas
Graduation:
see below
Inscription:
Atlas du Voyage de A Pérouse
Provenance:
France, E. Delbon
References:
Description
Elephant-folio format atlas of 1797= First edition
Four text volumes of 1798 = Second edition
The four volumes dated “L’An VI de la République - 1798” [L’An VI in fact covers 1797/1798]
Description of one of the most famous scientific expeditions ever undertaken in the Pacific (from 1785-1788), a milestone of maritime exploration with the purpose of discovering new parts not previously found by Capt. Cook (f.i. the East coast of Asia and the Japan Sea). The report of Cook’s last and third expedition was not jet known when La Pérouse left Brest.
In 1785, Jean-Francois de Galaup, Comte de la Perouse, began preparations for an extensive sea voyage. His aim was to explore the Pacific regions of North and South America, Asia and Australasia. The sponsor of the expedition was the French king, Louis XVI, who was inspired by Captain James Cook's Pacific voyages. Louis ordered the French expedition to show the world that France could also dominate in ocean exploration. The expedition consisted of two ships - La Boussole and L'Astrolabe. They carried a total of 225 crew, officers and scientists. The ships left France in August 1785 and sailed south around Cape Horn. The voyage was expected to lastfour years. During the voyage, La Perouse sent back regular reports to France. The expedition mapped coastlines and explored uncharted areas of ocean. The expedition's scientists also spent time onshore at various ports, observing the habits and customs of local people and collecting natural history specimens.The expedition's progess until September 1787 was published by the French government as Voyage de La Perouse autour du monde [La Perouse's voyage around the world].
La Pérouse was last seen in 1788 in Botany Bay, Australia and then disappeared. The first rescue attempts were unsuccessful. The ship and its crew were lost for almost four decades. In 1826 the wreckage of the Astrolabe ship was discovered in Vanikoro, Santa Cruz Islands, solving the mystery of La Pérouses disappearance. The text and plates only survived because of the habit of La Pérouse to forward his findings and drawings to Paris each time he set foot in a friendly port en route, f.i. via Macau.
“Atlas du Voyage de La Pérouse”
No place of publication, no editor, no date. Most probably First Edition, 1797
With original, blue-marbled front and rear; spine in patinated, recent vellum; orange-red leather title label with gilt lettering. Complete with 1 beautiful title page with large title engraving showing the route of La Pérouse’s Voyage + 69 plates:
Additional information
“Atlas du Voyage de La Pérouse”
No place of publication, no editor, no date. Most probably First Edition, 1797
With original, blue-marbled front and rear; spine in patinated, recent vellum; orange-red leather title label with gilt lettering.
Complete with 1 beautiful title page with large title engraving showing the route of La Pérouse’s Voyage + 69 plates:
- 35 single-page plates
- 13 single-page maps / coastal views
- 21 double-page maps / coastal views, incl. “Mappe Monde” and “Carte Du Grand Océan ou Mer du Sud”
Details of the 69 plates:
- 1 extremely large world map (“Mappe Monde”), larger than double-page and folded, measuring ± 98,0 x 66,4 cm with and ± 90,5 x 58,0 cm without borders (Plate No. 1)
- 1 double-page map of the Pacific Ocean (“Carte du Grand Océan”) (Plate No. 3)
- 18 single-page plates with landscape views, sights and indigenous people ( Plate Nos. 2, 5, 11, 12, 14, 21, 23, 24, 25, 40, 41, 42, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 66). Includes the famous plate on Easter Island, i.e. Plate No. 11.
- 1 single-page plate with a “Carte” (map) (Plate No. 68)
- 4 single-page plates with plants (Plate Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9)
- 1 single-page plate with insects (Plate No. 20)
- 3 single-page plates with birds (Plate Nos. 22, 36 and 37)
- 3 single-page plates with sea invertebrae (Plate Nos. 27, 28 and 63)
- 6 single-page plates with local boat types (Plate Nos. 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62)
- 9 single-page plates with “Plans” (drawings) of coastal lining from a bird’s eye perspective, mostly also mentioning the water depths (Plate Nos. 4, 33, 34, 35, 45, 48, 49, 51 and 65)
- 3 single-page plates with coastal views as taken from the ship (Plate Nos. 18, 30 and 32)
- 11 double-page plates with “Cartes” (maps) (Plate Nos. 13, 15, 16, 17, 29, 31, 39, 43, 46, 67 and 69)
- 5 double-page plates with “Plans” (drawings) of coastal lining from a bird’s eye perspective, mostly also mentioning the water depths (Plate Nos. 19, 26, 38, 44 and 52)
- 3 double-page plates with a combination of “Cartes” (maps) from a bird’s eye perspective and coastal views as taken from the ship (Plate No. 10 on Easter Islands, No. 47 on Japan and No. 64 on the Archipel des Navigateurs – Bougainville)
Dampstain in upper right corner, resp. upper side of pastedown front, resp. rear endpaper. Very light dampstain in upper left border of Plates 2-4, otherwise very fresh / extremely fresh set of plates throughout the atlas, with very sharp and fresh engravings in all plates.
Very large sized atlas, with exceptionally broad margins for the plates. In excellent condition.
