Nicolas Sanson (1600-67) was to bring about the rise of French cartography, although the fierce competition of the Dutch would last until the end of the century. This shift in cartographic centres shadowed the relative fortunes of the two countries; France under Louis XIV was a growing power in Europe. 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. 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. The present copy has more maps than is usual, including a long run of ancient geography. Many of the additional maps are by Nolin, Duval, and de Fer, including Nolin’s maps of Canada and America. Provenance: Baron de Lamotte and Bayard de Ferrieres, ink inscriptions on title; Bernard le Bovier de Fontenelle, bookplate. NMM 3, 271; Pastoureau, Sanson VA; Phillips, Atlases 4260; Shirley, British Library T.SAN-2a.