West Africa French Exploration Map with River Sanaga, 1750s

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This detailed late-18th-century map depicts Nubia and Abyssinia, covering large parts of present-day Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Horn of … Read more This detailed late-18th-century map depicts Nubia and Abyssinia, covering large parts of present-day Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Horn of Africa. The map is titled “La Nubia ed Abissinia” and was published in Venice in 1784 by Antonio Zatta, one of the most important Italian map publishers of the period. It forms part of Zatta’s monumental Atlante Novissimo, produced with the privilege of the Venetian Senate. The map presents the Nile basin in exceptional detail, tracing the river from its upper reaches through Nubia toward Egypt, while also mapping the Red Sea coast, inland mountain ranges, deserts, and regional kingdoms. Political and regional boundaries are outlined in contemporary hand color, distinguishing Nubia, Abyssinia, and neighboring territories. Numerous towns, tribal regions, rivers, and topographical features are carefully named, reflecting the synthesis of classical sources, Jesuit reports, and more recent travel accounts available to European geographers in the late Enlightenment period. Zatta’s cartography represents the Italian continuation of the scientific mapping tradition pioneered by Delisle and d’Anville, emphasizing clarity, proportional accuracy, and critical compilation of sources. While interior Africa remained imperfectly known, this map shows a marked departure from earlier speculative geography, replacing legend with measured structure and comparative reasoning. The decorative title cartouche, engraved in a restrained architectural style, anchors the upper right and reflects the sober elegance characteristic of Venetian Enlightenment cartography. Latitude and longitude lines, clean engraving, and balanced composition give the map strong visual presence without excess ornamentation. This map is particularly appealing to collectors of African cartography, Nile exploration history, Ethiopian history, and Enlightenment-era geography. It also serves as an excellent intellectual counterpart to earlier French coastal and regional charts of Africa, illustrating the progression of European geographic knowledge during the 18th century.

Condition report Good condition overall. Central vertical fold as issued. Light age toning and some mild discoloration, more noticeable along the fold. Minor scattered spots and faint handling marks. Original outline hand color. Plate mark visible. Margins intact. Technique: Copper engraving with contemporary outline hand color Maker: Antonio Zatta, Venice, 1784 See less