New about the Maps of the Laxman-Lovtsov Expedition

The article is devoted to the history of the first Russian expedition to Japan in the late 18th century. The study is based on cartographic materials from the Russian State Library collections, identified as part of the national project "Book Monuments". Detailed descriptions of the expedition's handwritten maps, previously believed to be lost, are given and the maps are compared with other maps stored in archives. The authors trace the history of Russian and international publications concerned with the expedition's maps. The role of the publication of the Japanese manuscript "Oroshiya koku suimu dan" in the authentication of the discovered maps is stressed. It is an unfortunate fact that Russian maps are deposited in foreign collections. The emphasis is placed on the role of navigator Vasilii Lovtsov in drawing the maps of the expedition. The article is illustrated with high-quality images of the original maps and their fragments, including Lovtsov's autograph.