NORTHERN INDIA 1652 NICOLAS SANSON UNUSUAL ANTIQUE ORIGINAL COPPER ENGRAVED MAP

L'Empire du Grand Mogol Par le N. Sanson d'Abbeville Geographe du Roy. Avec privilege pour 20 ans. 1652.

Description: Striking and highly detailed fine unusual 1652 copper engraved map of Northern India. Covers also Pakistan, Bangladesh and part of Afghanistan.
 
Composition and Medium:
 
It features a decorative cartouche in the upper left corner, which includes the title and the author's credentials as "Geographe du Roy." The cartouche is framed with ornate designs, typical of the Baroque style prevalent during Sanson's time.
 
Style and Technique:
 
The map employs pictorial relief to depict the topography, using a combination of outlines and shading to represent mountains and other terrain features. The hand-colored outlines are used to distinguish political boundaries, which are a key aspect of the map's visual structure.
 
Subject Matter:
 
This map illustrates the Mughal Empire, which was a significant power in the Indian subcontinent during the 17th century. It includes detailed depictions of political boundaries, major cities, towns, villages, rivers, and mountains. Notable cities such as Agra, Delhi, and others are marked, providing insight into the geopolitical landscape of the time.
 
Cultural and Historical Context:
 
The Mughal Empire, at its height during the period this map was created, was known for its rich culture, architectural achievements, and extensive trade networks. Sanson's map reflects the European interest in and study of distant lands during the Age of Exploration. It was based on information from Jesuit missionaries, which was a common practice for European mapmakers seeking detailed geographic knowledge of Asia and other parts of the world.
 
Significant Features:
 
- Cartouche: The decorative title cartouche not only serves as an aesthetic feature but also as a testament to the map's authenticity and the author's prestigious position.
 
- Topographical Details: The use of pictorial relief is significant for understanding the landscape of the Mughal Empire, displaying the emphasis on geographic accuracy and detail.
 
- Political Boundaries: These are carefully delineated, showcasing the territorial extent and regional divisions within the Mughal Empire, which was critical for European political and economic interests.
 
Publication Details:
 
This map is part of a larger work, an atlas dedicated to Nicolas Fouquet, and includes 17 folded maps that cover various empires, kingdoms, and regions. The atlas was published over several years, from 1648 to 1657, and was a pioneering work in the field of cartography, emphasizing detailed and accurate geographic representations.
 
In summary, Nicolas Sanson's "L'Empire du Grand Mogol" map is a significant historical document that offers a glimpse into the geographical understanding and cultural relationships of the 17th century. It combines artistic elements with scientific precision, reflecting the dual nature of maps as both practical tools and works of art.

Date: 1652 ( dated )

Dimension: Map size approx.: cm 24,3 x 18,9 === Paper size approx.: cm 27,7 x 24,8
 
Condition: Very strong and dark impression. Map sticked on board on the reverse. Map uncolored. All the margins missing. Smal. Conditions are as you can see in the images. 

Mapmakers: Nicolas Sanson (1600 - 1667) and his descendants were the most influential French cartographers of the 17th century and laid the groundwork for the Golden Age of French Cartography. Sanson started his career as a historian where, it is said, he turned to cartography as a way to illustrate his historical studies. In the course of his research some of his fine maps came to the attention of King Louis XIII who, admiring the quality of his work, appointed Sanson Geographe Ordinaire du Roi. Sanson's duties in this coveted position included advising the king on matters of geography and compiling the royal cartographic archive. In 1644 he partnered with Pierre Mariette, an established print dealer and engraver, whose business savvy and ready capital enabled Sanson to publish an enormous quantity of maps. Sanson's corpus of some three hundred maps initiated the golden age of French mapmaking and he is considered the 'Father of French Cartography.' His work is distinguished as being the first of the 'Positivist Cartographers,' a primarily French school of cartography that valued scientific observation over historical cartographic conventions. The practice result of the is less embellishment of geographical imagery, as was common in the Dutch Golden Age maps of the 16th century, in favor of conventionalized cartographic representational modes. Sanson is most admired for his construction of the magnificent atlas Cartes Generales de Toutes les Parties du Monde. Sanson's maps of North America, Amerique Septentrionale (1650), Le Nouveau Mexique et La Floride (1656), and La Canada ou Nouvelle France (1656) are exceptionally notable for their important contributions to the cartographic perceptions of the New World. Both maps utilize the discoveries of important French missionaries and are among the first published maps to show the Great Lakes in recognizable form. Sanson was also an active proponent of the insular California theory, wherein it was speculated that California was an island rather than a peninsula. After his death, Sanson's maps were frequently republished, without updates, by his sons, Guillaume (1633 - 1703) and Adrien Sanson (? - 1708). Even so, Sanson's true cartographic legacy as a 'positivist geographer' was carried on by others, including Alexis-Hubert Jaillot, Guillaume De L'Isle, Gilles Robert de Vaugondy, and Pierre Duval.