"Russie Blanche ou Moscovie", Sanson, Nicolas

Attractive copper engraved map of European Russia showing its political divisions, major topographical features, cities and towns. The map extends to the Caspian Sea at bottom right, adjacent to which is the "Great Desert" or Desert de Karakath. It is embellished with a strapwork title cartouche and was engraved by Antoine d'Winter.

Sanson's small maps from his quarto atlas of Europe, first published in 1648 and engraved by A. Peyrounin, were copied several times by various map publishers. Johann David Zunners made copies of Sanson's maps for his German translation of Die Gantze Erd-Kugel in 1679. Johannes Ribbius and Simon de Vries published copies in 1682 and 1683, with new maps engraved by Antoine d'Winter. The plates were later sold to Francois Halma, who used them in 1699 and then again in 1705 with the titles re-engraved in Dutch. The titles on the d'Winter plates were re-engraved back into French, and then used by Nicholas Chemereau in 1715 and by Henri du Sauzet in 1738.

References: Pastoureau, SANSON VII F bis.

Condition: A

A crisp impression with minor soiling.