Nieuwe Kaart van Muskovien (New Map of Muscovy)

Copper engraving of European Russia, centred on what is now Moscow Oblast, showing major rivers (Volga, Don and Dnieper) and forests as well as nations (Cossacks, Tartars, etc.).

The map also includes parts of Lithuania. East-West, the map runs from Astrakhan to Kiev; North-South, from
Veliky Novogorod, one of Russia’s oldest cities, down to the fringes of the Black Sea.

Bright hand colouring, in good condition – 18x26cm. Sold mounted and framed in brown wood.

Based upon an earlier map by a member of the de L’Isle map-making family, the map was engraved by Paul de la Feuille, and published as Map 24 in the Geographisch-Toneel  published by J Ratelband in Amsterdam from 1732.

The de L’Isle family, based in Paris, were a leading family of European mapmakers: Guillaume de L’Isle (1675-1726) was Geographer to the King of France; his half-brothers Joseph Nicholas (1688-1768) and Louis (c1685-1741) worked for Peter the Great of Russia at St. Petersburg, and this detailed map likely reflects their knowledge of the geography of the Russian Empire.