Alain Mallet, (1630-1706) was a French cartographer. He started his career as a military engineer in the forces of Louis XIV and the contents of his published work reflect this engineering background. This map was part of his major work, "Description de l'Univers, contenant les differents systemes du Monde, les Cartes generales & particulieres de la Geographie Ancienne & Moderne ..." Paris, Chez Denys Thierry, Rue S. Jacques, MDCLXXXIII [First edition, Paris, 1683].
ASIE MODERNE shows Asia centred around the cartographic device of the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific. Australia is shown according to the Dutch charts of the time, Japan is correctly located but the east of Russia, Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea are not delineated.
Later hand colour.
154 x 106 mm. (6 x 4 1/8 inches). Plate line.
Good condition.