Judia, Capitale de Siam

Judia, Capitale de Siam [Ayutthaya, capital of Siam] by Jakob van der Schley & Jacques Nicolas Bellin (1755). From Histoire Générale des Voyages, ou nouvelle collection de toutes les relations de voyages par mer et par terre, nouvelle edition … dont les figures & les cartes ont été gravées par & sous le direction de J. Vander Schley, elève distingué du célèbre Picart Le Romain. A La Haye, Chez Pierre de Hondt, avec Privilége de sa Majesté Impériale & de Nos Seignuers les Etats de Hollande & de West-Frise.

The map was drawn by Jacques Nicolas Bellin to be published in volume 9 of the 1752 edition of Abbe Prévost's Histoire Générale des Voyages. For the Dutch edition published by Pieter Hondt in The Hague in 1755, the maps were re-engraved by Jakob van der Schley. A further edition of this map was printed for the 1773 Atlas portatif, pour servir à l'intelligence de l'histoire philosophique et politique des etablissements et du commerce des Européens dans les deux Indes.

Bellin was one of the most important cartographers of the 18th century; he was born in Paris, and was a member of the Académie de Marine and the Royal Society of London. In 1721, at the age of 18, he was appointed hydrographer (chief cartographer) to the French Navy. In August 1741, he became the first Ingénieur de la Marine of the Depot des cartes et plans et de la Marine (the French hydrographic office) and was appointed hydrographic officer to the King of France. During his service he was commissioned to survey first the French coastline and later those of the entire known world. His output was immense, and his high-quality nautical charts appeared in multiple editions beyond the end of the 18th century.

Jacob Van der Schley (1715 - 1779) was a prominent Amsterdam engraver and draftsman based out of Amsterdam. Schley apprenticed under portrait engraver Bernard Picart, whose style he imitated. He is said to have completed several of Picart's portraits following his master's death. While Schley is primarily known for his work as a portraitist and illustrator, he also has a considerable cartographic corpus. He is known to have worked with Bellin, Hondt, and Provost, among others.

Copperplate with later hand colour, very good condition.