Major James Rennell (1742-1830) is regarded as the Father of Indian Cartography, for his survey of Bengal for the East India Company, and of Oceanography, for his various studies of ocean currents. He was also one of the founders of the Royal Geographical Society, and helped generate the myth of the ‘Mountains of Kong’, by compiling a map for Mungo Park’s account of the first expedition to the Niger River.

Based on a drawing of Rennell by Scott from 1799, Rennell’s portrait that appeared in the German geographical magazine, ‘Allgemeine Geographische Ephemeriden’, showing the cartographer in profile, wearing a jacket, cravat, and wig.