This map was a model for the depiction of the South American continent for half a century. It is the first to appear in a French atlas. Here Nicolas Sanson divides the region into ‘Bresil’, ‘Terre Ferme’ in the north, Peru, Paraguay, Chile, and ‘Terre Magallanique’. The latter is largely blank indicating unknown territory barely explored inland. The coastline bears placenames and ‘Tierra del Fuogo’ is defined independently although without a southern coast. Chile is confined to the south at Chiloe. The Falkland Islands are here named ‘Sebaldi de Werde’ after Sebald de Weert (1567-1603). He was captain of one of five ships commanded by Jacques Mahu who left Holland for the Moluccas in the Dutch East Indies. Separated from the fleet at the Straits of Magellan and with a weak and diminished crew he returned to Holland. The only ship to do so with just 36 of the original 105 crew alive. On his return from the Straits of Magellan he discovered a series of uncharted islands and unsuccessfully attempted to land. They were the western islands of the Falkland Islands. Whilst the Amazon River is not so well defined, the Rio de la Plata is detailed thanks to the various Jesuit Missionary reports.

Nicolas Sanson (1600‐1667) was instrumental the rise of French cartography. It marked a shift in the centre of mapmaking from the Dutch who had dominated the field since Abraham Ortelius published the ‘Theatrum Orbis Terrarum’ in 1570, the world’s first modern atlas. ‘Born in Abbeville, in the Picardy region of France, 1600, Sanson studied history and turned to cartography as a means of recording it. In 1630 he was made Géographe Ordinaire du Roi and was to become one of the tutors to Louis XIV. However, his future success was partly owing to the partnership he made with the publisher Pierre Mariette. In 1644 the latter had purchased the business of Melchoir Tavernier and helped Sanson with financial support in producing the maps for the planned atlas’ (Burden).

In 1650 he published separately this map of South America accompanied by a matching significant one of North America. They were drawn using the sinusoidal projection which is sometimes known by the name Sanson-Flamstead. ‘In 1657 Pierre Mariette died, which delayed publication of Sanson’s atlas. However, his son, also named Pierre, co-published Les Cartes Générales de toutes les parties du Monde the following year. It was the first folio French produced world atlas. By 1665 Sanson’s sons Guillaume and Adrien were involved. His first son, Nicolas, had died in an accident in 1648. In July 1667 Nicolas Sanson himself died. The atlas continued to be published despite disputes developing between the partners’ (Burden). In 1669 Guillaume Sanson introduced a replacement map dated 1669. Only this one recorded state so far has been identified. Provenance: Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Burden (1996) no. 294; Howgego (2003) W21; Pastoureau (1984) pp. 345 (Mariette), 387-9 & 400-2, Sanson V A, no. 90; Phillips (1909-) nos. 4260 & 5947; Tooley’s Dictionary (1999-2004).