[ World Atlas in 2 Volumes ] Atlas Nouveau a l’usage de Monseigneur le Duc de Bourgogne

Finely coloured example of this early edition of Pierre Mortier’s magnificent Atlas Nouveau, published in Amsterdam in about 1696.

Amsterdam / 1696 circa, Large Folio, Two volumes.. Publisher’s mottled calf with elaborate central gilt device of Atlas carrying an armillary sphere surrounded by baroque foliage, ruled in gilt rolls, with armillary sphere tools in the corners.Engraved hand-coloured titles, dedication and 248 fully hand-coloured, engraved maps.

Mortier’s Atlas Nouveau is a magnificent example of the Dutch cartographic artistry from the last decade of the Golden Age of Dutch Cartography. Embellished with two magnificent Romeyn De Hooghe frontispieces, 2 extraordinary world maps, several remarkable multi-sheet wall maps and a fabulous set of 14 American maps, this is one of the most beautiful and lavishly coloured atlases of the second half of the 17th Century.

The maps include a number of multi-sheet maps illustrating the Theatre of War in North America, The Indian Ocean, a stunning 4 sheet map of the Iberian Peninsula, a 4 sheet map of the Theatre of War in Italy, along with a rare sheet showing six fortified Italian City plans and stunning folding map of Rome. As a world atlas, there are many maps of the Americas, Asia and Africa, along with detailed European maps.

The 248 maps and index sheets are rendered in fine full original colour, the quality of which represents the finest of the Mortier workshop’s output.

Dedicated to Louis de France (1682-1712), Duke of Burgundy, the son of Louis de France (known as the Grand Dauphin), and Marie-Anne of Bavaria. He became the Dauphin of France upon his father’s death and the father of King Louis XV of France.

Pierre, or Pieter Mortier (1661-1711) was a Dutch engraver, son of a French refugee. He was born in Leiden. In 1690 he was granted a privilege to publish French maps in Dutch lands. In 1693 he released the first and accompanying volume of the Neptune Francois. The third followed in 1700. His son, Cornelis (1699-1783), would partner with Johannes Covens I, creating one of the most important map publishing companies of the eighteenth century.