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Description

Fine example of Pierre Du Val's striking map of the British Isles.

The present example bears the imprint of "Chez I. Besson en l'Isle du Palais sur le Quay de l'Horologue . . . 1685," making it a very early imprint following Du Val's death and before the imprint was changed to Mme Du Val, Pierre Du Val's widow.

 

Pierre Du Val Biography

Pierre Duval (1618-1683) was a French geographer, cartographer, and publisher who worked in Abbeville and Paris during the seventeenth century. He was born in the former city, in northeast France, before moving to Paris. Duval was the nephew of the famous cartographer Nicolas Sanson, from whom he learned the mapmaker's art and skills. Both men worked at the royal court, having followed the royal request for artists to relocate to Paris. In addition to numerous maps and atlases, Du Val's opus also includes geography texts. He held the title of geographe ordinaire du roi from 1650 and died in 1683, when his wife and daughters took over his business.