Isles Molucques

Description

copper engraving.

SCARCE miniature map of the Spice Islands, from the pocket atlas ‘Le monde ou la geographie universelle’, published by Pierre Duval in Paris. One of the earliest obtainable maps to focus on this region. Southern part of Mindanao is named and visible, I. Philippines are identified.
Pierre Duval was born in Abbeville and began his cartographic career in Paris studying under his uncle, the celebrated geographer Nicolas Sanson. He was soon employed in editing maps for publication by the print-seller Pierre Mariette. By 1650, he had become Geographe du roi. According to royal letters found among his papers in 1683, Duval was employed as an officer in the Maison du Roi and received a modest wage of 350 livres. He sustained a publishing collaboration with Mariette until 1654, when he married Marie Desmaretz, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. Following this, he established himself in Paris and produced maps and cartographic documents for a variety of Parisian map-sellers. Duval supplied manuscripts to Nicolas Berey, Girard Joillan, Nicolas Langlois, Estienne Vouillement and Antoine de Fer.