A fine detailed map of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, present day Belarus, and Ukraine published by Nicolas Sanson (1600-67). The map was first published in 1655 with at least one later state dated 1663. Here it is dated 1703 upper right. Sanson 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. Pastoureau (1984) Sanson V A 65.