The Delisle's reform of global cartography
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1de Oliveira, R.H.; 2Cintra, J.P.
1ESCOLA POLITÉCNICA DA UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO Email: rafa.oliveira@usp.br
2ESCOLA POLITÉCNICA DA UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO Email: jpcintra@usp.br
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to present and analyze - by using the Digital Cartography and a methodology of the study of old maps - the revo-lution of Cartography promoted by Guillaume Delisle, the most important cartographer of his epoch. The products of Delisle's work - which are the documents used in the present research - are the dissertation presented for the French Academy of Sciences in 1720 and his map, of the same year, entitled Mappemonde à l'usage du roi (World Map for the use of the King) which synthesizes the results described in his dissertation. Firstly, with GIS software (MapInfo) and a methodology of evaluation of old maps, it was possible to assess the accuracy and the precision of Delisle's map. Therefore, through the comparison among a list of many others worldwide maps - using the same methodology of mathematic evaluation - it was possible to define the degree of improvement and the influence of Delisle’s work. At the same time, the comparison between the dissertation and the Mappemonde can shows how Delisle could create his map from different sources and different measurements - of geographic coordinates and linear distances - and different sources and recover his method to produce the map. Finally, a more detailed study about the scientific improvement promoted by Delisle is realized with focus on South America.