France - Celestial map / Solar System.; Alain Manesson Mallet - Système de Copernic – Description de l’Univers - 1681-1700

Title:
Attributed to Alain Manesson Mallet – The Copernican System of the Planets with Harbour View and Lighthouse – Hand-coloured copper engraving, late 17th / early 18th century – Framed

Description:

This copper engraving is attributed to Alain Manesson Mallet (1630–1706), a French military engineer and cartographer. Its style, size and layout correspond to the plates of his famous work *Description de l'Univers*. The work was first published in Paris in 1683. Later editions appeared in Frankfurt and elsewhere. For this reason the engraving can be dated to the late 17th or early 18th century.


The composition has two parts, typical of Mallet's style:

- Upper part: a diagram of the Copernican (heliocentric) system. The Sun is at the centre. Around it are the orbits of Mercury, Venus, the Earth with the Moon, Mars, Jupiter with its satellites, and Saturn. The labels are engraved in French (*Saturne, Venus, Lune, Mars, Orient, Occident, Septentrion*). The diagram is framed by dramatic clouds decorated with stars.
- Lower part: a lively coastal scene. A lighthouse tower with smoke rises from a small island. Sailing ships are anchored near a fortified town. In the foreground, two figures sail a small boat on rough waves.

The heliocentric model was still a lively subject of debate in the 17th century. This plate is a charming example of how scientific knowledge was presented to the educated public of that time.

The sheet appears to be a leaf from a book. Letterpress text on the reverse is faintly visible through the paper. This is consistent with a page from the original publication.

Colouring:
The engraving has rich and bright hand colouring in green, yellow, orange, red and blue. The colouring is probably later than the printing. This is common for Mallet plates on the market.

Framing:
The print is presented under glass in a dark wooden frame with a cream passe-partout decorated with hand-drawn lines. It is ready to hang. The frame is sealed with paper on the back. The print has not been removed from the frame or examined outside it. For this reason the exact edition and the figure number (partly hidden by the passe-partout) cannot be confirmed.

Dimensions:
- Image: approx. 10 × 15 cm
- Frame: approx. 18.5 × 25.5 cm

Condition:
Good condition. The colours are bright and the engraved lines are clear. The paper shows light toning. The frame shows minor signs of use. Please see the photos, which are part of the description.

The frame could not be removed without damaging it. For this reason, the expert was unable to verify the authenticity of the map, and the seller is solely responsible for guaranteeing it.