Historic Map : Vaugondy, Diderot Map of Asia and The Northeast Passage , 1772, Vintage Wall Art

A comparative map of the three conflicting theories on the Northeast Passage, the northeast coasts of Asia, and the American Northwest. The Northeast Passage, much like American's Northwest Passage, was a long sought after sea route through the Arctic that would save European merchantman the expense of rounding Africa in order to access the trade riches of East Asia. This map, in one of the first obtainable examples of comparative cartography, lays out three theories regarding the Northeast of Asia. Knowledge of this area was, at the time, speculative at best. Shows many unknown island, misshapen representations of Kamtschaka, Japan, Hokkaido (Yesso), Alaska, and the Behring Archipelago. Notes Peking (Beijing), Nanking (Nanjing), Corea (Korea), Jedo (Tokyo)and Nangasaki (Nagasaki). This map is part of the 10 map series prepared by Vaugondy for the Supplement to Diderot's Encyclopédie , of which this is plate 3. This seminal map series, exploring the mapping of North American and specifically the Northwest Passage was one of the first studies in comparative cartography.