Copper engraved map with hand coloring by Jacques-Nicolas Bellin, full title: "La Chine avec La Coree et les Parties de la Tartarie les plus voisines Tirees des Cartes que les Jesuites Missionaires ont levees les annees 1708 jusquen 1717" (China with Korea and the Closest Parts of Tartary Taken from the Maps that the Jesuit Missionaries surveyed from the years 1708 to 1717).  An attractive and detailed map of China, Korea and Taiwan (named as Tayouan ou Formose I).  The map was published in 1748 in Prévost d´Exiles "Histoire General des Voyages…"
 
Sheet size: 15 x 12-1/2 inches; map size: 11 x 12-1/4 inches.  Printed on laid (chain paper).  Three folds as issued, the map is in mint condition, rare for an 18th Century folded atlas map.
 
Jacques-Nicolas Bellin (1703 - 1772), was one of the most important cartographers of the 18th century, with a career spanning some 50 years.  Compared to earlier 17th and 18th century cartographic work, Bellin's maps focus on function and accuracy tending.  Unlike many of his contemporaries, Bellin was always careful to cite his references.  Despite his success, he did not always enjoy his work, which is described as "long, unpleasant, and hard".  In addition to numerous maps and charts published during his lifetime, many of Bellin's maps published posthumously with updates.