Sanson — World Wall Map on Hemisphere Projection (1691)
Two poised circles hold a world in balance: this 1691 double-hemisphere by French royal geographer Nicolas Sanson arranges oceans and continents with luminous seventeenth-century grace. Fine graticules, restrained coastal hatching, and a richly worded French title cartouche give the sheet a quiet drama—part science, part stagecraft. It’s the age of salons and sea lanes, bound into an image you can live with every day.
Why it captivates
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Double-hemisphere clarity — the world rendered in two balanced globes for instant, room-length legibility.
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Courtly French pedigree — by Nicolas Sanson, Géographe Ordinaire du Roy, the era’s defining atlas maker.
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Elegant restraint — clean linework, calm lettering and decorative elements that enrich rather than crowd the geography.
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Antique presence — a conversation piece that reads as both scholarly document and heirloom décor.
What you’ll see
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Two planispheres with precise graticule and labelled meridians/parallels.
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Continents, seas and principal rivers arranged in Sanson’s measured house style.
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Period cartouches & notes in French, including the magnificent full title:
Mappe-monde: Geo-Hydrographique, ou Description Generale du Globe Terrestre et Aquatique en Deux-Plans-Hemisphere…
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Rhumb lines and coastal hatching that add depth and navigational poise.
A richer historical frame
Printed in 1691, this sheet sits at a hinge between Renaissance speculation and Enlightenment method. Sanson’s workshop distilled travelers’ reports and state surveys into maps prized for their clarity and control—evidence arranged with care. The result is a world that feels ordered, legible and quietly ambitious, centuries on.
Choose your finish
Heavyweight Paper (160 gsm matte)
Best for: framing under glass in studies and living spaces
Look & feel: non-glare matte that preserves engraved linework and small labels
Laminated (true encapsulation)
Best for: classrooms, libraries, offices and shared spaces
Build: sealed edge-to-edge between two 80-micron gloss sheets
Benefit: wipe-clean, durable, moisture-resistant
Laminated + Timber Hang Rails (Ready to hang)
What you get: encapsulated print plus natural lacquered timber rails top & bottom with a discreet hanging cord
Where it shines: foyers, lecture rooms, galleries—polished look with everyday toughness
Install: arrives ready to hang (just add a wall hook)
Lead time: please allow up to 10 working days for professional rail mounting
Archival Canvas (395 gsm HP Professional Matte)
Best for: premium interiors, boardrooms and curated displays
Print system: pigment-based, fade-resistant inks for long display life
Presence: textured surface adds warmth and museum-style depth
Canvas + Timber Hang Rails (Gallery-ready)
What you get: canvas fitted with natural timber rails top & bottom, matching cord
Where it shines: statement walls, heritage spaces, exhibition groupings
Install: ready to hang; single-hook friendly
Lead time: please allow up to 10 working days for rail mounting
Sizes (W × H)
At-a-glance materials
Option |
Best for |
Key benefits |
Paper (160 gsm) |
Framing under glass |
Matte clarity; crisp engraved detail |
Laminated (encapsulated) |
Busy/shared spaces |
Wipeable; tough; UV-filtering gloss |
Laminated + Rails |
Ready-to-hang public display |
Professional mount; easy install; durable |
Canvas (395 gsm) |
Premium display |
Archival inks; textured depth; gallery appeal |
Canvas + Rails |
Gallery-ready feature |
Period-true presentation; simple hanging |
Styling ideas
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Salon wall: frame the paper edition and add a slim brass picture light for warm, antique glow.
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Study or library: canvas with rails above timber cabinetry—pair with a terrestrial globe.
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Exhibition cluster: choose Laminated + Rails and add a caption on double-hemisphere projection.
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Travel nook: set beside a small tray of curios—compass, quill, ship print—for quiet narrative.
Specifications
Detail |
Description |
Title |
Sanson — World Map on Hemisphere Projection (Mappe-monde Geo-Hydrographique…) |
Edition |
1691 (decorative reproduction) |
Cartographer |
Nicolas Sanson, Géographe Ordinaire du Roy |
Projection |
Double-hemisphere (two planispheres) |
Language |
French title and annotations |
Type |
Seventeenth-century engraved world map |
Content Highlights |
Two hemispheres; graticule; rhumb lines; cartouches; period typography |
Finishes |
Paper; Laminated (encapsulated); Laminated + Timber Rails; Canvas; Canvas + Timber Rails
|
Lead Time (Rails) |
Up to 10 working days (laminated or canvas with rails) |
Orientation |
Landscape |
Size |
1000 × 700 mm (W × H) |
Production |
Made in Australia |
Who it’s for
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Collectors and historians of 17th-century cartography
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Educators, libraries & museums teaching projection history and global mapping
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Interior designers seeking refined antique presence with scholarly depth
Claim your wall. Choose Paper for crisp, frame-ready clarity. Go Laminated + Timber Rails for tough, ready-to-hang polish. Step up to Archival Canvas + Timber Hang Rails for gallery weight. Printed in Australia with pigment-based, fade-resistant inks. Built to last. Hang it. Live with it. Keep the world in view.