1782 Map of the Cape of Good Hope by Louis Stanislas d’Arcy De la Rochette

This 1782 map of the Cape of Good Hope by Louis Stanislas de la Rochette, titled The Dutch Colony of the Cape of Good Hope, is a remarkably detailed British-produced map of the VOC settlement at a time of Anglo-Dutch rivalry during the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War (1780–1784). Published in London by William Faden, the King’s Geographer, it portrays the Cape Peninsula, Table Bay, False Bay, and the interior frontier, combining precise coastal hydrography with an unusually accurate depiction of inland topography, settlements, and indigenous territories. It identifies Dutch farms, outposts, and Khoikhoi regions (Cochoquas, Hessequas, Attaquas) and extends north to St Helena and Saldanha Bays, marking the expanding colonial boundary. The map’s fine British engraving reflects Enlightenment cartographic precision but served a distinctly strategic purpose—to inform British policymakers and naval planners of Dutch territorial extent and logistics at the Cape. Based on Dutch VOC surveys obtained through intelligence and trade channels, de la Rochette’s synthesis provided one of the most advanced geographic depictions of the colony before the British occupation. As both a scientific and political document, it signalled Britain’s growing imperial interest in the Cape—an interest that would culminate in the British seizure of the colony in 1795, little more than a decade after its publication.

This map is a reproduction of a historical map that is now in the public domain. It has been selected for its aesthetic appeal and historical interest and carefully restored and reproduced to preserve its original detail and character.  There may be marks and fold lines visible which add to the authenticity.  The map is printed on 230gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish.  Most old maps were printed on uncoated rag or wood pulp papers and therefore a matte finish best represents the original map.