Marc-Antoine Bissiere was born in Paris in 1926, the son of the well known artist Roger Bissiere (1888-1964), who knicknamed him “loutre” (Otter). The two worked for many years side by side. The younger artist adopted the name to distinguish himself from his father and establish his own identity.

Hohman Heirs 1746 Map of the Western Hemisphere with many fascinating features. In South America, the mythical Lake Xarayes is shown south of the Amazon. The Northwest, which had not yet been explored, is simply left blank.

Like many Hohmann maps, this one features a particularly detailed cartouche. It shows two pairs of native Americans, one holding up what appears to be a shrunken head. At their feet are trade goods, and in the background two exploding volcanoes.