South America. London & New York. 1851.

Engraving on paper, illuminated. Measurements: 35 x 25 cm / 13.77 x 9.84 in. Work in very good condition, framed. 

Beautiful political map of the subcontinent, surrounded by an ornamental guard and enriched with seven vignettes of artistically illuminated customs images. They are observed in these small views, gold mining in Brazil, also in Brazil a rope bridge and a panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro with a cart in the foreground, with its load; below, a group of Afro-descendants perhaps carrying a heavy, recently captured prey. As for Chile, it is illustrated by three vignettes: a view of the city of Valparaíso, two natives descending a steep snowy slope in the middle of the mountain range, and a group of local inhabitants, three indigenous people and a Creole dressed in European custom. With respect to Peru you can see condors and camelids. The vignettes were illustrated by J. Marchant and recorded by J. Rogers.

Made by John Rapkin (1817-1876) for the Illustrated World Atlas. Detailed map of South America, including rivers, lakes, mountains, cities and towns. Its political division expresses a severe anachronism: The region of Peru appears, involving the country itself and Bolivia, and the current Argentine territory is divided into a wide region identified as La Plata (1) and south of the Negro River, Patagonia that involves all the lands between the two oceans.

To the north, Colombia is subdivided into Ecuador, Nueva Granada and Venezuela. And to the right of this, the three Guianas. Then, the immensity of Brazil, a dwarfed Paraguay, and Uruguay with its territory identified as Banda Oriental.

Note:

1. Surely, alluding to the Royal Audience of Charcas, whose headquarters was in the city of La Plata, later called Chuquisaca and since 1825, Sucre.