This map of the American continent was first published by Gilles Robert de Vaugondy (1688-1766) and his son Didier (1723-86) in the ‘Atlas Universel’, 1757. The original map had the cartouche re-engraved and included a new title in 1771. This 1778 edition no doubt was published to mark the entry of the French into the American Revolution in support of independence. However, they are not identified as such on the map or in the table panel to the right.

A notable feature of the map is the northwest coast of North America which includes the mythical Great River of the West and Lahontan’s Longue River. These reflect a desire to find an easy water passage from the east to the west coast. Note how the upper Mississippi River branches run close to them. Admiral De Font and Martin D’Aguilar’s discoveries are recorded. The map pre-dates the discoveries about to be made by James Cook which would improve the depictions of the coastline. Two large insets of the significant French colonies of Martinique and Hispaniola are included.

The career of the de Vaugondy family is superbly laid out by Mary Sponberg Pedley in her book ‘Bel et Utile’. Little is known of Gilles education, but he signed his marriage document in 1719 as a ‘geographe’. In 1723 he witnessed a document as a ‘professeur en mathematiques’. In 1731 he was fortunate to receive one-third of the business of the Sanson family. Nicolas Sanson and his descendants ran the most dominant map publishing business in Paris from the middle of the seventeenth century. Both of Nicolas’ sons, Guillaume and Adrien, died childless and the business passed to a nephew, Pierre Moullart (d.1730) who later added Sanson to his name. He too died childless but wishing the family business to continue he left it to three individuals, Jacques Simon Perrier, a priest, Jean Fremont, a lawyer and Gilles Robert de Vaugondy. It is not known how well exactly they knew each other. It was enough to launch his career. By 1734 he was made ‘Geographe du Roi’. Provenance: private collection of Juan and Peggy Rada. NMM 266; Nordenskiold 245; Pedley (1992) 19 state 4; Phillips Atlases 619; Sabin, 71863.