Map of Africa, 1700 - Guillaume Delisle

This map is attributed to the French cartographer Guillaume Delisle, geographer to the King of France and member of the Académie Royale des Sciences. Created as a colored copperplate engraving, it reflects the most up-to-date European geographical knowledge of Africa between the 17th and 18th centuries, with particular attention to the coasts, maritime routes, and coastal kingdoms involved in Atlantic trade. The interior of the continent, however, remains schematic, marked by large ethnographic and political regions, testifying to the informational limitations of the era. The rich allegorical cartouche with exotic animals and African figures emphasizes the Eurocentric and "curious" gaze upon the nature and peoples of the continent, typical of French Enlightenment cartography.

Feel the history beneath your fingers