1847 Vuillemin Pictorial Map of Europe

This is a striking 1847 Alexandre Vuillemin and Aristide-Michel Perrot pictorial map of Europe. The map has been updated in orange and gray manuscript to reflect the 1871 treaties that ended the Franco-Prussian War (1870 - 1871).

A Closer Look

Coverage encompasses Europe from Portugal to the Ural Mountains, and from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean. The map is visually rich, with vignette views of port cities printed on the map near their locations. Additional views of 18 inland cities line the left border. The left border features 18 illustrations of European ethnicities in their traditional costumes. Throughout, train and road networks are illustrated.

Throughout the map, European borders are modified in orange manuscript to reflect the new national boundaries established by the 1871 Treaty of Versailles at the end of the Franco-Prussian War. Gray pencil highlighting in the Alsace-Lorraine region reflects these territories' cessions to Germany.

The Franco-Prussian War

The Franco-Prussian War lasted from July 19, 1870 until January 28, 1871. The French suffered a series of defeats that eventually led to a siege on Paris, which lasted from September 17, 1870, until January 28, 1871. Over 180,000 Prussian and German soldiers laid siege to the city, and even though a reported 500,000 French soldiers occupied Paris, the Prussian army outclassed the French soldiers to such a degree that the French army could not break the siege. The Prussian commanders had no intention of attacking the city. However, as the siege wore on, it became obvious that such measures would be necessary. In the end, over 12,000 shells were fired on Paris in an effort to break Parisian morale. Paris also suffered horrible outbreaks of tuberculosis and other diseases. The Armistice was finally signed on January 27, and the siege was lifted. The Germans held a victory parade in Paris on March 1, 1871.

Publication History and Census

This map was initially issued by Aristide-Michel Perrot. This 1847 example was updated by Alexandre Vuillemin and published by Charles Fatout. Perrot first published this map in 1842, and updated editions followed erratically through 1869. All editions are scarce in institutional collections and on the private market.