Nicholas Sanson d’Abeville ( 1600 - 1667)

Nicholas Sanson d’Abeville (1600-1667)

Important French Royal cartographer considered to be the “father of French cartography. Educated by the Jesuits at Amiens. He gave lessons in geography both to Louis XIII and to Louis XIV. Active from 1627, Sanson issued his first significant map, the “Postes de France“, which was published by Melchior Tavernier in 1632. After publishing several general atlases he became the associate of Pierre Mariette.

Two younger sons, Adrien (d. 1708) and Guillaume (d. 1703), succeeded him as geographers to the king. In 1692 Hubert Jaillot collected Sanson’s maps and published the, Atlas nouveau.