[Map of Greece, Peloponnese, Ionian Islands] La Moree Et les Isles de Zante, Cefalonie, Ste. Marie, Cerigo &c.

Antique map of the Peloponnese, formerly Morea, in the south of Greece, and surrounding islands: Zante, Cephalonia and Cythera. It presents hand-applied colours and a title cartouche surrounded by the plans of twelve fortified cities. This original map was made by Nicolas Sanson (1600-1667), the most important French cartographer of the 17th century. He is even considered the father of the French school of cartography in its golden age, which spanned from the mid-17th century to the mid-18th century. He began making maps in the 1620s and in the following decade was already working with Melchior Tavernier. Later, Sanson worked with the publisher Pierre Mariette, with whom he published his great atlas Cartes générales de toutes les parties du monde (1658). Throughout his career he produced more than 300 maps and on his death, which occurred in 1667, his son Guillaume continued with the cartographic business in partnership with Alexis Hubert Jaillot, also becoming a renowned cartographer.