Lot 12839: Jaillot after Sanson - 1696 - Map of the World

This is large folio, striking map is entitled Mappe-Monde-Geo-Hydrographique ou Description Generale du Globe Terrestre et Aquatique en Deux Plans-Hemispheres.... The map was published in Paris by Jaillot in 1696. The cartouche reads: "Presente a Monseigneur le Dauphin Par son tres-humble, tres-Obeis sant et tres-fidele feruiteur, Hubert Jaillot".

This map is a fine example of the development of early modern cartography. It was originally a map arranged by Nicolas Sanson. Alexis Hubert Jaillot re-engraved and published the map and pushed French cartography forward when the Dutch were the leaders of this field. It demonstrates the precision and scientific mapping that would become associated with the French. One of the major achievements of the map is showing the full size of the world using an equal area projection.

Even though it's very scientifically based, there are many geographic myths included in the map including non-existent islands, El Dorado, and California as an island. North America does not yet show the Mississippi River or its tributaries. The Great Lakes are present, but incomplete. The only English colony that is named is Virginia and the rest are designated as regions.

In the southern hemisphere, Terra Australia is shown as a coastline of a large continent. It was a theory based on the speculation that the world would be too top heavy without more southern land. Terra Australia first appeared on maps in the mid 1500s from New Guinea to Tierre del Fuego. As new discoveries were made, cartographers tended to redraw the coast and erase the lines leaving the rest of the area as it was previously defined. By the publishing of this map, Tierre del Fuego was known as a series of islands and "New Holland" (Australia) was known to be separate from any southern continent. Thus, this map has the old coastline from New Guinea and west of Tierra del Fuego erased and the remnant appears simply floating in the middle of the southern Pacific. A similar untethered coastline is depicted in the southern Atlantic, ending abruptly south of New Holland.

~ 38 1/2" by 25"

Engraving with Outline Hand-coloring to Map and full color to decorative elements

1696

Overall Very Good. There is some light toning and wear at the edges with a few small, closed tears; to be expected with a map this age and size. There is some light soiling overall that does not affect the quality. There is some light wear at the fold. Please review the image carefully for condition and contact us with any questions.

Mappe-Monde-Geo-Hydrographique ou Description Generale du Globe Terrestre et Aquatique en Deux Plans-Hemispheres...