"L'Asie", Sanson, Guillaume

This is Guillaume Sanson's updated version of his father's map of 1650, which was the standard French map of the continent at the time. The map no longer has the extensive coastline of America to the east of Asia. The region north of Japan portrays Hokkaido as a part of a large, boot-shaped peninsula attached to the mainland. The name Ieco, which usually is associated with Hokkaido, is here identified with a partial coastline to the east that is separated from the peninsula. Korea is shown as a long thin peninsula in the manner of the Mercator-Hondius version. The Caspian Sea is presented on a more-or-less correct north-south axis, which deviates from Sanson's cartography. The map extends to include much of the eastern coast of Africa. Decorated with a strapwork title cartouche.

References: cf. Pastoureau, SANSON V E [211]

Condition: A

Contemporary outline color on a sheet with a fleur-de-lis watermark. There is a hint of offsetting and light toning that is mostly confined to the blank margins. There are small chips in the bottom corners of the sheet, with the left-hand chip being archivally repaired.