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Title: “Les Environs de Marseille et de son Territoire...”
Map Creator: Nicolas de Fer
Date: 1708 (dated)
Map Size: 13.4 × 9.4 in | Framed Size: 21.75 × 17.25 in | Hand-colored engraving on laid paper
Source: Atlas Curieux…
This superb small map of the region surrounding Marseille offers a richly detailed and charming portrait of Provence’s greatest port and its hinterland at the height of Louis XIV’s reign. Created in 1708 by Nicolas de Fer, geographer to the King and the Dauphin, and published in Paris at the Sphere Royale, the map is filled with precise topographical information, villages, mountains, rivers, and coastal features. A decorative compass rose orients north to the left, while the map extends eastward to Aubagne and northward to the fortified city of Aix. Two large, ornate cartouches adorn the composition: a splendid title piece featuring allegorical figures, cannons, and maritime motifs, and a detailed legend cartouche describing the territory’s parishes and governance.
The hand-coloring brings the Provençal landscape vividly to life—the warm ochres and greens of the rugged hills and valleys, the soft pink wash of the Mediterranean, and the delicate outlines of the islands of Ratoneau, Tiboulen, and Pomègues lying just off the coast. Every detail reflects the artistry of early eighteenth-century French cartography, blending scientific observation with decorative elegance in the distinctive style of Nicolas de Fer’s celebrated works.
This beautiful example has been custom framed to museum standards in a solid wood frame with archival matting and backing, protected by premium UV-resistant glazing. The rich burgundy mat with its soft pink inner border elegantly complements the map’s warm hand-colored palette, creating a presentation of timeless sophistication and refinement.
A delightful addition to any collection of antique maps, Provençal history, or Mediterranean-inspired décor, this 1708 plan captures the enduring strategic and scenic allure of Marseille and its storied territory.
Please review our Return Policy.
Title: “Les Environs de Marseille et de son Territoire...”
Map Creator: Nicolas de Fer
Date: 1708 (dated)
Map Size: 13.4 × 9.4 in | Framed Size: 21.75 × 17.25 in | Hand-colored engraving on laid paper
Source: Atlas Curieux…
This superb small map of the region surrounding Marseille offers a richly detailed and charming portrait of Provence’s greatest port and its hinterland at the height of Louis XIV’s reign. Created in 1708 by Nicolas de Fer, geographer to the King and the Dauphin, and published in Paris at the Sphere Royale, the map is filled with precise topographical information, villages, mountains, rivers, and coastal features. A decorative compass rose orients north to the left, while the map extends eastward to Aubagne and northward to the fortified city of Aix. Two large, ornate cartouches adorn the composition: a splendid title piece featuring allegorical figures, cannons, and maritime motifs, and a detailed legend cartouche describing the territory’s parishes and governance.
The hand-coloring brings the Provençal landscape vividly to life—the warm ochres and greens of the rugged hills and valleys, the soft pink wash of the Mediterranean, and the delicate outlines of the islands of Ratoneau, Tiboulen, and Pomègues lying just off the coast. Every detail reflects the artistry of early eighteenth-century French cartography, blending scientific observation with decorative elegance in the distinctive style of Nicolas de Fer’s celebrated works.
This beautiful example has been custom framed to museum standards in a solid wood frame with archival matting and backing, protected by premium UV-resistant glazing. The rich burgundy mat with its soft pink inner border elegantly complements the map’s warm hand-colored palette, creating a presentation of timeless sophistication and refinement.
A delightful addition to any collection of antique maps, Provençal history, or Mediterranean-inspired décor, this 1708 plan captures the enduring strategic and scenic allure of Marseille and its storied territory.
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