Bilder Antoine-François Prévost d'Exiles (1697–1763) – Plan of the Fortress of Cranganor – Engraving (1746–1759)

Beskrivning

This engraving presents a detailed architectural and strategic layout of a coastal fortification, titled Plan de la Forteresse de Cranganor. The composition illustrates the defensive walls and internal structures of the fort, situated along a shoreline where several maritime vessels are visible in the surrounding waters. The plan includes a projected design for a new fort, indicating its exterior works and organized barrack-like structures labeled with Roman numerals. A simple cartouche in the upper right quadrant provides the title and a linear scale, while a compass rose indicates the orientation of the site. This illustration was featured in the monumental Histoire Generale des Voyages and served as a technical reference for eighteenth-century readers to understand the military and colonial architecture established by European powers in southern India.

Antoine-François Prévost d'Exiles, commonly known as Abbé Prévost, was a prolific French author and journalist who made significant contributions to the Enlightenment-era dissemination of geographical knowledge. While famous for his literary work Manon Lescaut, he spent decades editing and translating the Histoire Generale des Voyages, a massive multi-volume encyclopedia of global exploration. This series synthesized centuries of travel accounts and cartographic data into a structured format, becoming an essential resource for the study of ethnography and colonial geography. Prévost's work allowed the French public to explore the world's diverse regions through detailed text and high-quality engravings, often based on the work of royal hydrographers, helping to bridge the gap between academic scholarship and popular curiosity during the eighteenth century.

Artist or Maker: Antoine-François Prévost d'Exiles .

Dimensions: Approximately 37 cm x 25 cm .

Medium: Engraving .

Date: 1746–1759

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.