D'Entrecasteaux - Australia: Coastal Views of Tasmania (New Holland, Van Diemen's Land)

D'Entrecasteaux - Australia: Coastal Views of Tasmania (New Holland, Van Diemen's Land)
This large folio engraving is from Antoine Bruni D'Entrecasteaux's tlas du Voyage de Bruny-Dentrecasteaux, contre-amiral de France, commandant les frégates La Recherche et L'Espérance, fait par ordre du Gouvernement en 1791, 1792 et 1793. Publié par ordre de Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi, sous le Ministère de Son Excellence le viceamiral Decrès par C. F. Beautemps-Beaupré. The first edition work was published in Paris in 1808 by Imprimerie Impériale.

The work was the official report of one of the great exploring voyages of the period in search of La Perouse and those on his expedition. "No news had been received for three years respecting the ships Boussole and Astrolabe., commanded by M. de la Pérouse ... [it was decided to send out a search expedition with the secondary aim of] making inquiries relative to the sciences and to commerce. Rear-Admiral Bruny D'Entrecasteaux received command of the expedition which consisted of two ships of about five hundred tons burden [La Recherche and L'Espérance] ... Proceeding via the cape of Good Hope to Tasmania, extensive investigations of its coastline were made. New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, the Admiralty Islands, Tonga, New Britain and other groups were visited, but ... no trace of the missing navigator was found ... the expedition made several important contributions to geographical knowledge, and the investigations of the natruralists into productions of countries visited were of special value" (Ferguson).

The work is in very good to excellent condition overall. There are a few faint marks or fox marks scattered on the paper. There may be a few minor imperfections or faint marks to be expected with age. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.
~ 33 1/2" by 22 1/2" (Fold Out)