Tirion. Map of the Western Part of New Mexico and California. 1765.

Isaak Tirion (1705–1765)Map of the Western Part of New Mexico and CaliforniaFrom Nieuwe en Beknopte Hand-Atlas, Amsterdam, 1765Hand-colored copperplate engravingSheet size: 21 x 17 inches Isaak Tirion was a Dutch publisher known for his atlases and town plans. He worked in Amsterdam during the 18th century, basing many of his maps on those of the famous French cartographer Guillaume de l’Isle. Over his career, he published multiple atlases, some of which were reprinted even after his death in 1765. This rare 1765 map focuses on the Spanish and Mexican borderlands, particularly California and parts of modern-day Arizona. Although its title mentions New Mexico, the map does not actually cover that region. Instead, it highlights the Gulf of California, Baja California, and areas of Southern California and Arizona. Tirion carefully marks towns, indigenous villages, missions, and military forts, with mountain ranges shown in profile. The map falls between two major cartographic milestones: