South America – John Thomson, 1817
€375
“South America”, copper engraving made in 1814 by J. Moffat in Edinburgh, published as part of John Thomson’s New General Atlas of 1817. Original hand colouring. Size: 61 × 52 cm.
This interesting map of South America depicts the entire continent, from the Caribbean Sea to Tierra del Fuego and the South Georgia Islands. It shows South America amid twenty-five years of Spanish-American wars of independence.
The map is filled with—often misleading—details, especially in the Orinoco, Paraguay, and Amazon river basins, where numerous mission stations, geographical formations, and indigenous tribes are marked. These suggest a level of exploration that in reality had never taken place. The mythical “Laguna de Xarayes” no longer appears as the supposed source of the Paraguay River, but “Lago Parima”—believed to be the site of El Dorado and the legendary city of Manoa—is still prominently shown in Guiana.
Amid the densely drawn rivers and mountain ranges, one finds small inscriptions such as “these lands are unknown”, “these parts have never been explored”, and “this country is uninhabited.”
Thomson’s maps are generally renowned for their large format and exceptional precision. Relief is indicated by hachuring, and towns, villages, and key geographical features are clearly named.
John Thomson (1777 – ca. 1841) was a Scottish cartographer, publisher, and bookbinder active in Edinburgh during the early 19th century. He learned the trade under bookbinder Robert Alison and later went briefly into business with Abraham Thomson. When the two parted ways, John focused on mapmaking, while Abraham continued the bookbinding side of the business.
Thomson is considered one of the leading figures of the Edinburgh school of cartography, which flourished between 1800 and 1830. Along with contemporaries such as Pinkerton and Cary, he transformed European cartography by abandoning the decorative 18th-century style—with elaborate cartouches and mythical beasts—in favour of accuracy and scientific clarity.
His principal works include the New General Atlas (1814–1821), the New Classical and Historical Atlas (1829), and the Atlas of Scotland (1830). The latter, a monumental project of extraordinary precision, ultimately led to the bankruptcy of his firm in 1830, after which the copper plates were seized by the court. Thomson managed to recover them in 1831, but a second bankruptcy followed in 1835, when most of his plates were sold to A. K. Johnston & Co.
Price: Euro 375,-
