Partie Septentrionale de l'Empire Francais (1812)

Description

Detailed single page historical copper engraved map of Northern France. The map also covers the Netherlands, parts of Germany, and Switzerland, most of which belonged to the French Empire at the time. The map shows several geographic details on cities, towns, rivers, mountains, and islands. The map includes two inset maps to top left quadrant entitled, "Environs de Paris: and "Holstein". The map features a vignette incorporating the title.

Regions shown: Finisterre (Finistère), Morbihan, Loire Inferieure (Loire-Atlantique), Mayenne, Maine et Loire (Maine-et-Loire), Sarthe, Ille et Vilaine (Ille-et-Vilaine), Indre et Loire (Indre-et-Loire), Loir et Cher (Loir-et-Cher), Loiret, Cher, Yonne, Nievre (Nièvre), Cote D'Or (Côte-d'Or), Cotes du Nord, Manche, Orne, Calvados, Eure et Loir, Eure, Seine Inferieure, Seine et Oise, Seine, Seine et Marne, Oise, Aisne, Somme, Pas de Calais, Aube, Haute Marne, Haute Saone, Doubs, Haut Rhin, Vosge, Bas Rhin, Meurthe, Moselle, Meuse, Marne, Ardennes, Forets, Sambre et Meuse, Ourte, Sarre, Mont Tonnerre, Rhin et Moselle, Nord, Lys, Jemappes, Dyle, Escaut, Bouches de L'Escaut, Deux Nethes, Bou de la Meuse, Meuse Inferieure, Oer, Zuiderzee, Yssel Superieur, Bouches du Rhin, Lippe, Frise, Ems Occide, Ems Oriental, Ems Superieur, Bouches du Wesser, and Bouches de L'Elbe.

Cities shown:

Finisterre (Finistère): Concarneau, Quimperle (Quimperlé),

Morbihan: Roche Bernard (La Roche-Bernard), l'Orient (Lorient), Vannes, Ploermel (Ploërmel),

Loire Inferieure (Loire-Atlantique): Nantes, Ancenis, and Chateaubriand (Châteaubriant).

Mayenne: Chateau Gontier (Château-Gontier),

Maine et Loire (Maine-et-Loire): Angers, Segre (Segré), Bauge (Baugé-en-Anjou), and Saumur.

Sarthe: Sable (Sablé-sur-Sarthe), la Fleche (La Flèche), S. Calais (Saint-Calais),

Ille et Vilaine (Ille-et-Vilaine): Redon,

Indre et Loire (Indre-et-Loire): Chateau Regnault (Château-Renault) and Tours.

Loir et Cher (Loir-et-Cher): Montdoubleau (Mondoubleau), Vendome (Vendôme), Blois, and Romorantin (Romorantin-Lanthenay).

Loiret: Beaugency, Meun (Meung-sur-Loire/Meung), Orleans (Orléans), Sully (Sully-sur-Loire), Briare, Gien, Chateau Renard (Château-Renard), Montargis,

Cher: Sancerre.

Yonne: S. Fargeau (Saint-Fargeau), S. Sauveur (Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye),

Nievre (Nièvre): Cosne (Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire) and Clamecy.

Cote D'Or (Côte-d'Or): Semur (Semur-en-Auxois), Montbard, Chatillon (Châtillon-sur-Seine), Recey (Recey-sur-Ource), Chanceaux, and Dijon.

Source publication: Atlas Complet Du Precis De la Geographie Universelle De M. Malte Brun dressee par M. Lapie Capitaine Ingenieur Geographie

Pierre M. Lapie (1779-1850) and his son Alexandre Emile Lapie (1809-1850) were French cartographers and engravers active in the early part of the 19th Century. The Lapies were commissioned officers in the French army holding the ranks of Colonel and Caipitan, respectively. Alexander enjoyed the title of "First Geographer to the King", and this title appears on several of his atlases. Both father and son were exceptional engraversand fastidious cartographers. Working separately and jointly they published four important atlases, an 1811 Atlas of the French Empire (Alexander), the 1812 Atlas Classique et Universel (Pierre), the Atlas Universel de Geographie Ancienne et Modern (joint issue), and the 1848 Atlas Militaire (Alexander). They also issued many smaller maps and independent issues. All of these are products of exceptional beauty and detail.

Conrad Malte-Brun (1755-1826) was an important late 18th and early 19th Century Danish/French cartographer and revolutionary. Conrad was born in Thisted, Denmark. His parents encouraged him to a career in the Church, but he instead enrolled in the University of Copenhagen. In the liberal hall of academia Conrad became an ardent supporter of the French Revolution and the ideals of a free press. Despite the harsh censorship laws of crown prince Frederick VI, Malte-Brun published numerous pamphlets criticizing the Danish government. He was finally charged with defying censorship laws in 1799 and forced to flee to Sweden and ultimately France. Along with colleague Edme Mentelle, Malte-Brun published his first cartographic work, the Geographie mathematique, physique et politique de toutes les parties du monde (6 volumes published between 1803 and 1807). Conrad went on to found Les Annales des Voyages (in 1807) and Les Annales des Voyages, de la Geographie et de l'Histoire (in 1819). He also founded the Paris Societe de Geographie. In time, Conrad became known as one of the finest French cartographers of his time.