L’Afrique Par le Sieur Du Val, Geographe Ord. du Roy

$2,800

Cartographer(s): Pierre du Val
Date: ca. 1660
Place: Paris
Dimensions: 40 x 49.5 cm (15.7 x 19.5 in)
Condition Rating: VG+

In stock

SKU: NL-00663 Category: Tag:

A separately-issued rarity of Africa by Pierre Duval.

Details

This unusual map by Pierre Duval is a comprehensive and detailed presentation of Africa, achieved by dividing the sheet up into what is in essence 15 different maps: one map of the entire African continent along with 14 regional maps.

The regional maps show Egypt (L’Egypte), Northwest Africa (Numidie), West Africa (La Nigritie), a long horizontal view of North Africa (La Barbarie), Southeast Africa (Monomotapa), South Africa (La Cafrerie), the Horn of Africa (Le Languebar), Abyssinia (L’Abissinie), Congo, Nubia, Terceira Island and the Azores, the Canary Islands, the Cape Verde Islands and Madagascar. Each includes a short description of the people, geography, and/or political situation of the region.

Betz relates that this map is part of a set of four continent maps with regional maps produced by Duval, dated to circa 1656 based on the map of the Americas. This is the third state of the Africa map, with the visible erase of Laignet sur le quay de la Megisserie au fort leuseq from the title. It is undated but likely dates to the early 1660s. The verso is blank, as it is for all three states.

An extremely rare and interesting piece for serious collectors of Africa.

Cartographer(s):

Pierre du Val

Pierre Duval (1618–1683) was a French geographer. He was the nephew and pupil of the famous Nicolas Sanson. Encouraged by Louis XIV to move to Paris, he later became Geographe Ordinaire du Roy.

Condition Description

Excellent.

References

Richard L. Betz, The Mapping of Africa: a Cartobibliography of Printed Maps of the African Continent to 1700 ('t Goy-Houten: Hes & De Graaf, 2007), #85.3.

Bibliothèque nationale de France: ark:/12148/btv1b8468531g