Bonne

Rigobert Bonne was born in 1727 in Raucourt, in the Lorraine region of northeastern France.  He was not only a cartographer, but also a hydrographer, producing maps of both land and sea, although his work leaned more toward the latter.  Throughout his rather prolific career (he produced a large volume of work between about 1760 and the late 1780s) he came to be regarded as a purveyor of accurate and detailed maps.  Today his historical maps are considered some of the best produced during the late 18th century, while Bonne himself is regarded as one of the most notable mapmakers of the period.

 Bonne spent much of his career working in the French Hydrographical Office, or the Depot de la Marine.  He first came to prominence when he published a number of charts in the Atlas Maritime in 1762.  Some cite this as his most important work, but he is arguably better known for later publications, including the Atlas Encyclopedique, which he collaborated on with Nicholas Desmarest, as well as the maps he produced for Raynal's Atlas de Toutes Les Parties Connues du Globe Terrestre, which was published in 1780, closer to the end of Bonne's career.

 Bonne’s body of work is well known in most part because of the new style of mapmaking that he helped popularize.  The maps produced during the 17th and early 18th century were often commissioned more for the purposes of display than for practical use.  As a result, decorative flourishes such as elaborate compass roses, ornamental cartouches, and hand coloring were common. 

 Although Bonne's maps were known for detail, he eschewed the traditional school of mapmaking at the time in order to focus on geographical accuracy and practical concerns.  His maps appear plain when compared to others produced during his early career, but his style marked a shift in sensibilities that is notable for antique maps of the time.

 In 1773, Bonne's talent was confirmed when he ascended to the rank of Royal Cartographer to the King of France, succeeding Jacques Nicolas Bellin.  Stylistically, Bonne's vintage maps are comparable to Bellin's, excepting the lack of embellishment that Bonne preferred.  Bonne also focused his attention on coastal regions, producing both terrain maps and sea charts during his career.  Today, old maps produced by Rigobert Bonne are highly sought after.  His historic maps represent a significant shift in aesthetics, as well as the purpose and use of maps, and they hold historical importance because of Bonne's attention to detail and his exploration of previously uncharted regions.