Sanson, Nicholas (I)

Worked originally in Abbeville, then in Paris. Founder of the French school of cartography (and of a mapmaking family) was a prolific mapmaker, producing over 300 maps during his career. Originally a military engineer, he turned to cartography with the encouragement of publisher Melchior Tavernier, who was impressed with Sanson’s map of ancient Gaul, as was Cardinal Richelieu in 1627. Nicholas wound up giving lessons in geography both to Louis XIII and to Louis XIV. When Louis XIII, it is said, came to Abbeville, he preferred to be the guest of Sanson instead of occupying lodgings provided by the town. At the end of one visit the king made Sanson a counselor of state. In 1643 Sanson began publishing his own maps, and later worked with the publisher Pierre Mariette. His 1658 “Cartes
Generales de toutes les parties du monde” had 113 maps compiled by Sanson and engraved/ printed by Pierre Mariette, each having half the copyrights, with separate imprints on the maps. The 1665 edition had 166 maps, the 1666 edition had 181 maps, and the 1667 edition had 200 – including 17 maps by Nicholas’ son Guillaume.