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Details
1939 Lucien Boucher Air France Pictorial Map of the World
1939 (undated) $1,900.00
1953 Lucien Boucher Air France Double Hemisphere Celestial (surrealist)
AirFranceCelestial-lucianboucher-1953$1,000.00
Title
Air France.
1853 (undated) 23 x 37.5 in (58.42 x 95.25 cm)
1853 (undated) 23 x 37.5 in (58.42 x 95.25 cm)
Description
The finest of Lucien Bucher's iconic comic maps drawn for Air France, here in a scarce large format edition. Boucher's work for Air France is considered an embodiment of the golden age of air travel. This map, presented as a double hemisphere celestial, was drawn and published around 1953. In a surrealistic style, Boucher illustrates the constellations as seen from the northern and southern hemispheres. The constellations of the Zodiac are highlighted in gold and orange. Taurus is missing from this group, as it is obscured by the Earth, rendered in tones of burn orange, within which is a spider work of Air France routes. Wind heads decorate each corner. Here the airplane is master not just of the sky, but the whole universe, connecting the passenger not merely to earthly destinations, but to the heavenly spheres themselves.
The printer has utilized chromolithographic printing techniques to achieve splendid rich tones throughout. This map was printed for Air France by Perceval of Paris. This particular chart is undated, but Rumsey identifies it as a 1953 issue.
The printer has utilized chromolithographic printing techniques to achieve splendid rich tones throughout. This map was printed for Air France by Perceval of Paris. This particular chart is undated, but Rumsey identifies it as a 1953 issue.
Cartographer
Lucien Boucher (1889 - 1971) was French cartoonist, artist, writer, and illustrator. Boucher was born in Chartres in 1889 and graduated from the École de Céramique de Sèvres. His work as a cartoonist appeared in the humorous weekly Le Rire. Starting in the 1920s he produced numerous pictorial posters inspired by the commercial promise of surrealism. Among them were a series of surrealistic planispheric and celestial maps drawn to illustrate the transportation networks of Air France. More by this mapmaker...
Condition
Good. Backed on archival tissue. Some very minor infill and verso repairs. Trimmed to printed border.
References
Rumsey 8055.000.