Carte de l'Asie - M. Van Lochom 1646

📜 Description
Antique engraved map depicting the Asian continent, published in Paris by Michel van Lochom in 1646 and attributable to the French cartographic production of the first half of the seventeenth century. This antique map documents the entire extent of Asia according to the European geographical vision of the Baroque period, including the Eastern Mediterranean, Tartary, Persia, India, China, Japan, and the archipelagos of Southeast Asia. The composition is structured through a clear and highly decorative layout characterized by a dense toponymic network, river systems, territorial divisions, and maritime routes organized within a rigorous and easily readable graphic framework. The engraved cartouches placed in the upper section of the plate identify the publisher Pierre Petit and the title “Carte de l’Asie,” emphasizing the editorial purpose of the work within the Parisian cartographic production of the seventeenth century. The etched engraving technique produces a precise and analytical line, while the period hand coloring along the political borders enhances the legibility of the map without altering its scientific and documentary character. The plate represents a significant testimony to French Baroque cartography and to the growing European interest in the geographical representation of the Asian continent during the seventeenth century.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Michel van Lochom was among the active publishers and engravers in seventeenth-century Paris, known for the dissemination of illustrative and cartographic works intended for an educated audience interested in world geography. French cartographic productions of this period reflect the evolution of European geographical knowledge and the increasing interest in Asian territories within a context marked by international commercial and diplomatic expansion. The maps published by van Lochom belong to the tradition of Baroque decorative cartography, in which geographical rigor and ornamental richness coexist within a visually striking documentary synthesis.

🧾 Technical Details
Title: Carte de l’Asie
Type: Original engraved map
Author / Cartographer: not indicated
Designer / Engraver: not indicated
Publisher / Printer: Michel van Lochom / Pierre Petit
Place: Paris
Period: 1646
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Coloring: Period hand coloring
Edition / Print Run: French editorial production of the seventeenth century
Dimensions: sheet 43 × 57 cm; plate mark/engraving 37 × 49.5 cm

🔍 Condition Report
Sheet in good overall condition. Small professional restorations visible along the central fold and minor foxing consistent with age. Engraved surface well impressed and fully legible. Period hand coloring well preserved. Blank verso.