A French mathematician and mapmaker, known for a clear cartographic style without the decoration favoured by some of his contemporaries, Rigobert Bonne was appointed chief hydrographer at the Dépot de la Marine in 1773. He succeeded Jacques Nicolas Bellin as Royal Cartographer. In 1762, he published what was arguably his most important work, the Atlas Moderne, ou Collection cartes Sur Toutes Les Parties du Globe Terrestre. He collaborated with Nicolas Desmarest (1725-1805) on the publication of the Atlas encylopédique, which included both historical and contemporary maps. His Atlas portatif générale, made use of the work of fellow French cartographer Louis Brion de la Tour.