Cartographer / Cartógrafo

J.N. Bellin

Title / Título

Carte de l´Amerique Meridionale

Year / Año

1757

Size / Tamaño

Image 44x33cm, sheet 50x36cm

Description / Descripción

Large map of South America in colonial times, made by Bellin.

There are areas with many details, particularly along the west coast in Peru, Chile, and throughout northern South America. It shows where most of the era's interest and knowledge was concentrated. Most of Brazil, however, is a blank wasteland occupied by the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon River, on the other hand, and its tributaries, appear in surprising detail. Fort Negro, modern-day Manaus, is labeled near the confluence of the Negro and Solomoes rivers, where it was founded in 1669. Other major cities throughout the continent are identified as well, including Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Cuzco, Cartagena, and Rio de Janeiro. The Rio de la Plata, the Paraguay River, and their tributaries occupy a large portion of south-central South America and include the mythical Laguna de Xarayes.

Laguna de Xarayes

The mythical Laguna de Xarayes is illustrated here as the northern terminus, or source, of the Paraguay River. The Xarayes, a corruption of 'Xaraies' meaning 'Masters of the River', were an indigenous people occupying what are today parts of Brazil's Matte Grosso and the Pantanal. When Spanish and Portuguese explorers first navigated up the Paraguay River, as always in search of El Dorado, they encountered the vast Pantanal flood plain at the height of its annual inundation. Understandably misinterpreting the flood plain as a gigantic inland sea, they named it after the local inhabitants, the Xaraies. The Laguna de los Xarayes almost immediately began to appear on early maps of the region and, at the same time, to take on a legendary quality.

Includes a decorative title cartouche. One of the maps produced by J.N. Bellin for Prevost d'Exiles influential travel book, L'Histoire Generale des Voyages, dated 1757.

Condition / Estado

Excellent condition, folds as published.

Reference number

Ref. 26 16 AS

Remarks / Comentarios

Please read the part about the condition of the map and study the pictures carefully before buying. I sell original maps, often several centuries old, and they therefore will have signs of age and use.

Por favor, estudie atentamente las fotos y el texto para conocer el estado del mapa antes de adquirirlo. Se trata de un mapa original que tiene unos siglos de antigüedad, razón por la que presenta ciertas marcas de uso.

Payment / Pago

With bank transfer to Spanish or Dutch bank account or with PayPal (the seller prefers a bank transfer).

Pago por transferencia bancaria a cuenta española u holandesa o con PayPal (el vendedor prefiere transferencia).

Shipment / Envío

In case you choose to have the item shipped without certified/insured mail, the seller will not be responsible for safe arrival of the shipment. If needed, a proof of shipment can be provided.

En caso de que usted no elija correo certificado, el vendedor no se hará responsable si su paquete no llega bien. Si lo desea, recibirá un comprobante de envío.

Return policy / devolución

In case you do not like the map, you can return it to the seller within 10 days after receiving it. You are responsible for the costs for return shipment/insurance. You will receive a full refund of the purchase amount (excl. shipping costs) after the seller has the map.

En caso de que al final no le guste el mapa, puede devolverlo en un plazo de 10 días tras recibirlo. Los gastos de envío (certificado) corren de su cargo. Cuando el vendedor reciba el mapa, le será devuelto el importe completo de la compra (excluidos los gastos de envío).