Ayrouard, Jacques
1746

Scarce antique port plan of Barcelona, Spain

Plan du Port et Rade de Barcelone en Catalogne

DESCRIPTION: Scarce antique French port plan / chart for the town of Barcelona, Spain on Spain's Mediterranean coast. This expertly designed and robustly executed antique chart is by Jacques Ayrouard (Marseilles ca. 1732- 1746) from a scarce atlas titled: "Recueil de Plusiers Plans des Ports et Rades et de Quelque Cartes Particulieres de la Mer Mediterranee". In a style that reflects Ayrouard's military and engineering background.

In the attribution Ayrouard is described as "Pilote Real" or pilot of la Reale, the flagship of the French galley corps with a total complement of about 550 including 360 oarsmen and 100 soldiers. In their Dictionnaire de la Marine from 1702 Covens and Mortier explain:

"(Réale) is the name of the main galley of an independent kingdom, not of a tributary kingdom annexed to a greater one. The Réale, in France, is reserved for the general of the galleys and flies the royal ensign which distinguishes it from the others. This ensign is square in shape and red in colour, with golden fleurs-de-lys." (Internet)

Ayrouard was likely one of the last such pilots as the French Corps des Galeres was disbanded in 1748 and incorporated into the regular French sailing navy.

CREATOR: Ayrouard, Jacques

PUBLICATION DATE: 1746

GEOGRAPHIC AREA: Spain

BODY OF WATER: Mediterranean Sea

CONDITION: Very Good. Nice. On strong laid paper with ample margins. Minor age-toning and offsetting.

COLORING: None

ENGRAVER: Louis Corne

SIZE: 17 " x 11 "

ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 8

PRICE: $700

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