An important French map of Australia

FREYCINET, Louis Claude de Saulces de.

Carte Générale de la Nouvelle Hollande. Dressée par M. L. Freycinet Commandant La Goelette, Le Casuarina. An 1808.
Paris: c.1811. 810 x 550mm.

A very fine example of the map regarded as the first to show a full outline of the coastline of Australia, despite there still being several small gaps, including Cook's Labyrinth in New South Wales.
Freycinet (1779-1841) sailed around the world on the Baudin Expedition, sent by Napoleonic France to explore the coasts of Australia in 1800. Although they were following in the footsteps of Matthew Flinders (whom they met at Encounter Bay in 1802 and compared their discoveries), Freycinet managed to publish his map three years before Flinders, using his own names including 'Terrew Napoleon' and 'Golphe Bonaparte'.


Stock ID : 18831