The first state of a very decorative map of the South American continent by Alexis-Hubert Jaillot (1632-1712). It is divided into the jurisdictions of the Spanish and Portuguese regions. The cartography is derived from Nicolas Sanson. The original Jaillot map was published in Paris in 1674. This however is the contrafaçon by Pierre Mortier first published in Amsterdam in 1692. On the surface it is very difficult to identify the two but working from the date 1691 appearing lower right, and the omission of the initials of the engraver found in the French edition, we can be assured that it is the Dutch edition. Upper right are the Cape Verde Islands and the nearby shore of Africa. No islands in the central Pacific are displayed. With a running title above the map is completed with two magnificent cartouches in the lower corners comprising the title and a varied set of scales..

‘The idea for [Jaillot’s] L’Atlas Nouveau began before 1670; it was to be a larger format of Sanson’s successful work. However, Alexis-Hubert had to turn to Guillaume and Adrien Sanson, the sons of Nicolas, to provide the necessary capital to begin the project. The initial contract committed the brothers Sanson to provide eighteen maps, including this one. Further contracts followed over the years. The relationship between the Sanson brothers and Jaillot, rarely smooth, appears to have broken down altogether by 1690. In that year Pierre Mortier began work on a facsimile edition in Amsterdam. It is known that he had permission to do this, and it is presumed to have been with Jaillot, rather than the Sansons … it seems more likely that Mortier had the assistance of the Sansons’ (Burden).

‘Pierre Mortier (1661-1711) was listed as a member of the guild of booksellers in August 1685. He most likely received his training in Paris working as a bookseller between 1681-c.1685. His sign, ‘The City of Paris’ was an expression of the excellent links he had with that city. He specialised in French language books. Mortier was one of the most successful booksellers in Amsterdam at the time and amassed considerable wealth during his lifetime. To Mortier must be given the credit for reviving a flagging Dutch cartographic heritage. Most of the maps produced at the time were out of date. He recognised that the cutting edge of the map business at the time was in Paris, and with his contacts there began to move into the atlas business. He forged a working relationship with it is believed Alexis-Hubert Jaillot, and not the Sanson brothers, the source of his cartography. In 1690 Mortier began work on a facsimile edition of Jaillot’s highly successful L’Atlas Nouveau first published in 1681.

Mortier’s first privilege for maps was granted by the States of Holland and West Friesland on 15 September 1690. It refers to the maps of Sanson that he ‘is printing and correcting with great pains and care’. Mortier and another French bookseller resident in Amsterdam, Pierre Huguetan, entered into an agreement which would eventually divide the ownership of the plates … The similarities of the plates were so strong that testimony had to be given on a shipment to Spain, and on one occasion at Landau in 1694 customs seized a parcel of Mortier’s maps being exported to Switzerland. Huguetan had to swear to a notary that ‘the Atlas by Sanson and the geographical maps, sent to Switzerland have been engraved and printed at Amsterdam, although the name of Paris is on the title page, which was only done to promote the sales” (Burden).

There are four known states of the matching North America listed in Burden, and it might be presumed that there are a similar number of this South American plate. A fine example of the first state in excellent original colour. Provenance: Juan and Peggy Rada Collection. Refer Burden (2007) nos. 438 & 686; Pastoureau (1984) Jaillot 1D no. 6.