Jean Le Clerc was an engraver, bookseller and publisher in Paris and Tours. Le Clerc may have worked with Maurice Bouguereau in the production of the Theatre Francois in 1594, as he subsequently used the plates to republish the Atlas in 1620 under the title Theatre Geographique du Royaume de France. In addition to the maps of France, the atlas included a World Map, originally engraved by Jodocus Hondius in 1608 copied from Mercator's twin hemisphere map of 1595. He also issued in 1602 maps of Africa, America, Asia and Europe, engraved by Jodocus Hondius. The map of America, which is dated 1589, but unknown in any editions earlier than the one issued by Le Clerc in 1602, is a map of considerable rarity, which some believe may pre-date Ortelius’ Maris Pacifici as the first printed map to focus on the Pacific Ocean.