Map of the Kingdom of FranceNicolas Sanson

Printed in Paris in 1658 by Melchior Tavernier, this map (reproduction) by Nicolas Sanson, considered the father of French cartography, shows France with surrounding regions in remarkable precision. By abandoning fanciful motifs and relying on measured geography, Sanson transformed maps into instruments of statecraft, reinforcing Louis XIV’s territorial vision and shaping European cartography.