1781 Canu Map of the lower Red River (Vietnam), and the Gulf of Tonkin, and Hainan Island
Carte du Tong-King.
First printed map of Tonkin
$850.00
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First printed map of Tonkin
This is the first printed map specifically of northern Tonkin, drawn by Jean Dominique Etienne Canu in 1781. Based on Jesuit reports, the map depicts the territory and cities of the northern parts of the Đàng Ngoài. These feudal lords ruled the deltas of the Red River, the Mã River, and the Cả River.A Closer Look
The map is centered on the Gulf of Tonkin; it includes the north and western coasts of Hainan Island, and part of the modern-day coasts of Southern China and Vietnam including an early rendition of the Red River and the mouth of the Cả, reaching as far south as Hue (here Kone-hoe) the ancient capital of Cochinchina. It reaches as far west as Tchely, capital of the Yunnan province. Many towns and borders are noted.Publication History and Census
The map was engraved for inclusion in the 1781, 16th volume of Yves Mathurin Marie Treaudet de Querboeuf's Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses. While the book is represented in institutional collections, we see no separate examples of this map so cataloged, and it is extremely rare on the market.Cartographer
Jean Dominique Etienne Canu (1768 - 1843) was a French engraver active in Paris from about 1780 to 1816. Canu's work mostly focused on fashion plates, portraiture, architecture, and natural history. Canu studied under Delaunay, another French engraver. Little is known of his life and the date of his death remains obscure. His cartographic corpus is minimal. Further Details...
Source
de Querboeuf, Yves Mathurin Marie Treaudet, Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses (Paris: Merigot) 1781.
Condition
Very good. Margin reinstated at insertion point with no loss. Else excellent.