Dutch Neptune François Facsimile Edition

The Neptune François Atlas is one of the most important nautical atlases of the late seventeenth century, marking a pivotal moment in the history of maritime cartography. The work reflects the first large-scale state-sponsored attempt by France to produce scientifically rigorous sea charts, and—almost immediately upon its appearance—entered the international marketplace through re-engraved Dutch editions issued by the Amsterdam publisher Pieter Mortier. The complex publication history of the Neptune—original French state version versus Dutch editions—is essential to understanding its form, dissemination, and impact.

State Commission and the French Edition

The atlas originated as an official French government project initiated by Jean Colbert under the reign of Louis XIV. Recognizing the strategic importance of accurate maritime charts for naval power and maritime commerce, Colbert commissioned teams of astronomers, mathematicians of the Académie des Sciences, and hydrographic engineers of the French Navy to conduct systematic surveys of European coasts from Norway to the Strait of Gibraltar. This project aimed to produce reliable nautical charts for the use of the French fleets and allied maritime enterprises.

The original French edition was printed in Paris in 1693 at the Imprimerie Royale, under the supervision of French officials. Its full title read Le Neptune François ou recueil des cartes marines levées et gravées par ordre exprès du Roy…, indicating that the charts were “raised and engraved by express order of the King.”

Amsterdam Republishing and Pieter Mortier’s Editions

Almost immediately after the French edition appeared, the atlas was copied and re-engraved in Amsterdam by Pieter Mortier, who held a privilege, granted in 1690, to publish French maps and atlases in the Netherlands. Mortier did not receive the original copperplates; instead, he commissioned re-engraved versions of the French charts, meticulously copying them for Dutch production.

Mortier’s 1693 Amsterdam editions were issued in French, Dutch, and English, carrying the false Paris imprint “Chez Hubert Jaillot, aux deux globes, Paris,” despite being printed in Amsterdam. This strategy was a marketing ploy: a Parisian address conferred prestige and helped sales on the continental and French markets. The re-engraved plates often show bolder linework and slightly more rigid engraving compared to the French originals.

Additions and Later Editions

Mortier’s version of the Neptune includes additional components not found in the original French state edition. To the foundational Neptune charts he added two major supplements in the same volume:

- Cartes Marines à l’usage des armées du Roy de la Grande Bretagne: Supplementary charts for British waters, engraved by Romein de Hooghe, based on English and Dutch sources. These maps are richly decorated and include vignettes, panoramas of ports, and elaborate cartouches.

- Atlas Maritime (or Suite du Neptune François), issued around 1700: Featuring expanded coverage of Africa, Asia, and the Americas, and additional nautical charts beyond European waters.

Several later issues and revisions followed, including additional plates of flags, ship types, and more world charts tailored to English and Dutch audiences. Mortier’s editions were widely distributed across Western Europe and contributed significantly to the atlas’s reputation.

Mapmaking, Style, and Scientific Context

Whether French or Dutch, the core charts of the Neptune François Atlas are rooted in the portolan tradition of nautical mapping, featuring dense coastal place names and networks of rhumb lines radiating from compass roses for navigation. The French state version emphasized the scientific measurement of coastlines and sea routes, aligning closely with the methodological aims of the Académie des Sciences.

In the Dutch editions, the charts were adapted visually, with additions such as decorative elements, ships, and allegorical motifs, particularly in the Cartes Marines and Atlas Maritime. The Dutch plates reflect a hybrid of scientific cartography and ornamental print culture, making them prized collector’s items as well as functional charts.

Legacy and Reception

The atlas’s dual origins—a French government-commissioned scientific work and a Dutch commercial reproduction and expansion—illustrate broader tensions in early modern cartography between state interest and the emerging print-market economies of Amsterdam. The French edition established a national standard for maritime charting at a time when France sought to assert naval supremacy. The Dutch editions ensured the wide dissemination and enduring fame of the Neptune François Atlas throughout Europe.