Bonne, Rigobert

Engineer, mathematician and cartographer, he succeeded Jacques-Nicholas Bellin as French hydrographer (maker of sea charts) in 1773. Working in his official capacity, Bonne compiled some of the most detailed and accurate maps of the period. Bonne’s work represents an important step in the evolution of the cartographic ideology away from the decorative work of the 17th and early 18th century towards a more detail-oriented and practical aesthetic. With regard to the rendering of terrain, Bonne maps bear many stylistic similarities to those of his predecessor, Bellin. However, Bonne maps generally abandon such common 18th century decorative features such as hand coloring, elaborate decorative cartouches, and compass roses. He created maps for Jean
Lattre’s 1762 “Atlas moderne…”, Grenet’s 1779–1782, 1785 “Atlas portatif” and, along with his son, Nicolas Desmarest’s 1787–1788 “Atlas encyclopedique…”