Siberia as Explored by Behring: Original 18th Century Hand-colored Map by Bowen
This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "An Exact Chart of all the Countries through which Capt. Behring Travelled from Tobolski, Capital of Siberia to the Country of Kamtschatka" by Emanuel Bowen. It was published in 1744 in London in John Harris's "Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca" or "A Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels". This highly detailed and colorful map is the first English language map to show Vitus Behring's route of exploration of northwest Russia. Czar Peter the Great commissioned Captain Vitus Bering (1681-1741) a Danish born explorer to lead the First Kamchatka Expedition (1725-30) to create an inventory of its Siberia holdings. The group explored the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east, including what is now known as the Bering Strait. The map depicts the forts, outposts and missions that had already been established in the region. The map extends from the capital of Siberia, Tobolski, in the west the the Kamchatka Peninsula coastline in the east. It includes the Ob, Irtysh, and Lena Rivers and Lake Baikal, the World's deepest lake. The Second Kamchatka Expedition (1732-41), again led by Behring, discovered and surveyed modern-day Alaska. This led to Russian outposts in North America along the Pacific Coast, including those in Northern California. The areas covered by the Second Kamchatka Expedition are not included on this map which preceded it.
Creator: Emanuel Bowen (1694 - 1767, British)
Creation Year: 1744
Dimensions: Height: 9.25 in (23.5 cm) Width: 15.75 in (40.01 cm)
Medium: Engraving
Condition: See description below.
Reference #: 5198
This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "An Exact Chart of all the Countries through which Capt. Behring Travelled from Tobolski, Capital of Siberia to the Country of Kamtschatka" by Emanuel Bowen. It was published in 1744 in London in John Harris's "Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca" or "A Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels". This highly detailed and colorful map is the first English language map to show Vitus Behring's route of exploration of northwest Russia. Czar Peter the Great commissioned Captain Vitus Bering (1681-1741) a Danish born explorer to lead the First Kamchatka Expedition (1725-30) to create an inventory of its Siberia holdings. The group explored the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east, including what is now known as the Bering Strait. The map depicts the forts, outposts and missions that had already been established in the region. The map extends from the capital of Siberia, Tobolski, in the west the the Kamchatka Peninsula coastline in the east. It includes the Ob, Irtysh, and Lena Rivers and Lake Baikal, the World's deepest lake. The Second Kamchatka Expedition (1732-41), again led by Behring, discovered and surveyed modern-day Alaska. This led to Russian outposts in North America along the Pacific Coast, including those in Northern California. The areas covered by the Second Kamchatka Expedition are not included on this map which preceded it.
Creator: Emanuel Bowen (1694 - 1767, British)
Creation Year: 1744
Dimensions: Height: 9.25 in (23.5 cm) Width: 15.75 in (40.01 cm)
Medium: Engraving
Condition: See description below.
Reference #: 5198
This is an original 18th century hand-colored map entitled "An Exact Chart of all the Countries through which Capt. Behring Travelled from Tobolski, Capital of Siberia to the Country of Kamtschatka" by Emanuel Bowen. It was published in 1744 in London in John Harris's "Navigantium atque Itinerantium Bibliotheca" or "A Complete Collection of Voyages and Travels". This highly detailed and colorful map is the first English language map to show Vitus Behring's route of exploration of northwest Russia. Czar Peter the Great commissioned Captain Vitus Bering (1681-1741) a Danish born explorer to lead the First Kamchatka Expedition (1725-30) to create an inventory of its Siberia holdings. The group explored the Kamchatka Peninsula in the east, including what is now known as the Bering Strait. The map depicts the forts, outposts and missions that had already been established in the region. The map extends from the capital of Siberia, Tobolski, in the west the the Kamchatka Peninsula coastline in the east. It includes the Ob, Irtysh, and Lena Rivers and Lake Baikal, the World's deepest lake. The Second Kamchatka Expedition (1732-41), again led by Behring, discovered and surveyed modern-day Alaska. This led to Russian outposts in North America along the Pacific Coast, including those in Northern California. The areas covered by the Second Kamchatka Expedition are not included on this map which preceded it.
Creator: Emanuel Bowen (1694 - 1767, British)
Creation Year: 1744
Dimensions: Height: 9.25 in (23.5 cm) Width: 15.75 in (40.01 cm)
Medium: Engraving
Condition: See description below.
Reference #: 5198
The map is embellished by a decorative title cartouche in the upper portion of the map which includes two local Siberian hunters flanking the title and a reindeer on the right. There is an adjacent Compass Rose on the right.
This striking, beautifully hand-colored and historically important original 18th century map is printed on laid chain-linked paper with wide margins. The sheet measures 9.25" high and15.75" wide. There is a small chip and short tears at the edge of the lower margin on the left and irregularity of the lower edge to the right. The map is otherwise in very good condition.
Emanuel Bowen (1694-1767) was a prominent British engraver and cartographer. He was born in Wales and worked in London as a mapmaker and engraver for much of his career. Bowen was honored as a fellow of the Royal Society and as the Royal Mapmaker to both to King George II of England and Louis XV of France. Based in London, Bowen was highly regarded for producing some of the largest, most detailed, most accurate and most attractive maps of his era. He is known to have worked with some of the most prominent cartographic names of the period including Herman Moll, John Owen, and Thomas Kitchin. Bowen was known for his skill in combining information from various sources to create comprehensive and useful maps. Bowen produced a wide range of maps, including maps of the British Isles, Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia. He also created maps for several important atlases, including the "Complete Atlas" (1752) and "A Complete System of Geography" (1747). Despite his renown and success, Bowen, like many cartographers, died in poverty. Upon Emanuel Bowen's death, his cartographic work was taken over by his son, Thomas Bowen who also died in poverty. Bowen's legacy as one of the most influential cartographers of the 18th century lives on through his many important maps and atlases.
