PIERRE DU VAL (French, 1618-1683)
LE CANADA faict par le Sr de Champlain ...
Paris, 1677
Engraving, hand colored, 34.8 x 54.3 cm
Smith Collection

"Champlain's cartographic record is made all the more complex by his construction in 1616 of a new regional map of New France, with the addition of his explorations since 1612 . The image is clearly similar to what Champlain eventually published in 1632 , but is much smaller in scale. The only copy known of this map is now in the John Carter Brown Library, R.I. It is clearly an unfinished printer's proof copy. Despite the date on the map (1616), the evidence of the paper dates this impression of the map to about 1653. That is, Champlain had the new map engraved, but abandoned the project before completion. The copper plate survived, however, and was acquired by Pierre Du Val. Du Val finished the map and published it in 1653; on display here is a later state, from 1677. "

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From: University of Southern Maine