Jacques Bellin was Hydrographer in the French Dépôt de la Marine. With access to the latest navigational reports, he produced a great many maps and charts of excellent quality. In 1744 he produced a map of Louisiana for Charlevoix’s “Histoire et Description Générale de la Nouvelle France”, one of Bellin’s first to relate to the Americas.

This similar map shows Bellin’s professionalism as despite being issued only six years later it has been improved. We can see alterations to the Ohio and its tributaries in particular. The large scale affords great detail of the settled regions in the east extending from New England to the newly founded Georgia. The map is centred on the Mississippi River and highlights the importance of French control of the region. It draws on originally the manuscripts of Chaussegros de Lery. The map extends westwards to the Spanish settlements along the Rio Grande in present day New Mexico. Despite all the scientific accuracy fictitious features are found; most notably the mountain range in the Michigan peninsula. Provenance: private French collection. MCC 96, no. 689, pl. 2; Sellers & Van Ee 18.