An interesting and rare map, first published in 1658, then 1668, and then, as here, unchanged, except for the date in the title banner.

The map is "heavily based upon Sanson's world map of 1651 (Shirley 390/394), but with a unique configuration of the coastlines around Australia. The map details the discoveries of Tasman on both journeys, although he leaves out west Arnhem land. Baudrand shows a distinct strait at the base of the Cape York Peninsula, suggesting a passage to Tasmania. According to the late Simon Dewez, this is the first depiction of such a strait on a printed map, giving cartographic expression to the Dutch belief that it did exist. Baudrand clearly depicts New Guinea as a distinct island (as per Sanson), but drawn less accurately than Blaeu, with a distinct strait to the tip of the Cape York Peninsula, with a small piece of the Australian north coast appearing. More generally, the map has a large ornate cartouche with a dedication to Cardinal Azzolini. The outer border contains two celestial spheres, two polar projections and two circular wind diagrams. The extensive land "Iesso", north west of California, is shown with a tentative coastline, other than the area supposedly reached by Vries north of Japan in 1643. Other special aspects are his depiction of Anian Strait, and the naming of the great lakes with three given their present day names (Superior, Huron and Erie). Traces of the coastline of "de Quir" and "Terre Australe" remain. Baudrand's map in turn was the basis of the world maps of Pierre du Val of 1666 and 1668 (Shirley 441 and 443)" (Brown).

The map has a large ornate cartouche with a dedication to Cardinal Azzolini. The outer border contains two celestial spheres, two polar projections and two circular wind diagrams. For the geographical features Baudrand has drawn principally on Sanson's cartographic work to assimilate all the discoveries of the time. The extensive Iesso north-west of the island of California is shown, with tentative coastline, other than the area supposedly reached by Vries north of Japan in 1643. In North America three of the Great Lakes are given their present-day names, -- Lakes Superior, Huron and Erie -- whilst two others are named as S. Luigi and Pazzolente, In the Pacific, New Guinea is outlined more correctly and placed separate from the Australian continent (called Nova Olandia) which is drawn less accurately than Blaeu and only shown in part. New Zealand is erroneously stated as having been discovered in 1654, instead of 1644. Traces of the old Coastline of Quir and Terra Australe remain.

The mapmakers
Founded in 1633, the de Rossi printing press was the most important and prolific in Rome during the seventeenth century. Just before the death of its founder, Giuseppe de Rossi (1570-1639), it was inherited by his son Giovanni Giacomo (1627-1691), under whom it produced some of its finest work. These included the etchings of several influential artists, such as Pietro Testa, Giovan Francesco Grimaldi and Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, as well as a wealth of cartographic material.

From the mid 1680s, Giovanni Giacomo published his first atlas, the 'Mercurio Geografico', in partnership with his adopted son Domenico de Rossi, who would ultimately become best-known as a sculptor. The first edition consisted of 30 maps dated from between 1669 and 1715, generally derived from the work of Cantelli da Vignola, the important seventeenth century cartographer whose fine style of bold engraving would have great influence on Vincenzo Coronelli.

The mapmaker
Abbe Baudrand (1633-1700) was geographer to the French king; credited with a number of academic works and not generally known as a cartographer.

Rare: Shirley writes: "spite of the imperfections, Baudrand's map is a finely-engraved example of serious cartographical work. Partly because of its large size and the lack of any standard Italian atlases, it circulation was quite small and relatively few copies are known"; we are aware of one other example of this issue of this map in commerce, offered at Sotheby's in 2002, and an example issued in 1668 held at the BnF.