Carte Reduite De L'isle D'antigue [Island Of Antigua] - Lovely French Map Of The Island Of Antigua From The Mid-18Th Century. Jacques Nicholas Bellin

"This eye-catching map of the island of Antigua was designed by Jacques-Nicholas Bellin and published in Paris for the French Depot de la Marine in 1758. The Seven Years' War broke out just a few years prior, and the sugar-producing island was one of several British territories in the West Indies the French hoped to incorporate into their empire. The image shows a handful of scattered settlements labeled amid mountainous pictorial topography. Notable structures (churches, forts, plantations, etc.) and geographic features are labeled throughout. Of particular interest is the estate of Sir William Codringtown, descendants of the first Englishman who brought the sugar trade (and slavery) to the Caribbean island. Depth soundings and navigational hazards are noted, reflecting an emphasis on maritime concerns typical on maps of the Depot de la Marine. By the end of the 18th century, England would use Antigua as its home harbor for the Royal Navy in the Caribbean. The British remained colonial overlords until the nation's independence in 1981. Source." Sheet Width (in) 18.6 Sheet Height (in) 25.2 Condition Description Nice crisp impression on strong watermarked paper with ample margins. Some scattered darkening to the sheet from the plate impression, most evident in the upper right. A few pieces of archival tape on the verso from where previously matted. Very good overall, with attractive modern hand color. Blank on verso