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1854 Spruner Map of France from 1610 to 1790
France1610-spruner-1854$50.00
Title
Frankreich von 1610 bis 1790.
1854 (undated) 14 x 18 in (35.56 x 45.72 cm)
1854 (undated) 14 x 18 in (35.56 x 45.72 cm)
Description
This is a fascinating example of Karl von Spruner's 1854 historical map of France from 1610 to 1790. The map covers France from Calais in the north to the Spanish border in the south. Two inset maps on the top left and bottom left quadrants detail the environs of Paris and Paris at the end of the 18th century, respectively. At the opening of the 18th century France was one of the dominant powers in europe. With a population of nearly 19,000,000 under a single government and ample arable farmland, France dominated most of europe socially and economically. The Ancien Regime was established by the Bourbon and Valois Dynasties in the 15th century. In 1785, France faced economic difficulties and ultimately the growing discontent and the ideas of 'equality' and 'freedom of the individual' among the populous would lead to the French Revolution.
As a whole the map labels important cities, rivers, mountain ranges and other minor topographical detail. Political and regional boundaries are outlined in color. Relief is shown by hachures, and the whole is rendered in finely engraved detail exhibiting throughout the fine craftsmanship for which the Perthes firm is best known. Prepared by Karl Spruner for publication as plate F V in the second edition of Justus Perthes' 1854 Historisch-geographischer Hand-Atlas zur Geschichte der Staaten europa's vom Anfang des Mittelalters bis auf die Neueste Zeit.
As a whole the map labels important cities, rivers, mountain ranges and other minor topographical detail. Political and regional boundaries are outlined in color. Relief is shown by hachures, and the whole is rendered in finely engraved detail exhibiting throughout the fine craftsmanship for which the Perthes firm is best known. Prepared by Karl Spruner for publication as plate F V in the second edition of Justus Perthes' 1854 Historisch-geographischer Hand-Atlas zur Geschichte der Staaten europa's vom Anfang des Mittelalters bis auf die Neueste Zeit.
CartographerS
Karl von Spruner (November 15, 1803 - August 24, 1892) or Spruner Karl von Merz or Spruneri was a Stuttgart born cartographer, scientist, and map publisher active in Germany during the middle part of the 19th century. Joining the Bavarian army at the tender age of 11, Spruner dedicated most of his life to military service. Spruner's superiors, recognizing his keen intellect, eventually assigned him to the army's cartographic division. Military education earned him the title of Doctor of Cartography in 1852. In 1855 he attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and, in 1883, General. Cartographically, Spruner is best known for his historical atlases, most of which were published by the Justus Perthes firm. His much admired maps studiously applied historical political geographies to contemporary physical geographies. Spruner also worked with Heinrich Theodore Menke, a well-known German mapmaker, to produce and later revise his many historical maps. In 1886, after 72 years of professional military service, Spruner formally retired. He died seven years later in Munich in on August 24th of 1892. More by this mapmaker...
Johan Georg Justus Perthes (September 11, 1749 - May 2, 1816) was one of the most important German cartographic engravers of the 19th century. He was born in the Thuringian town of Rudolstadt, the son of a court physician. In 1778, he began working as a bookseller in Gotha. Perthes began his publishing empire shortly thereafter with the 1784 issue of the famed survey of European nobility known as the Almanac de Gotha. In the next year, 1785, he founded the cartographic firm of Justus Perthes Geographische Anstalt Gotha. His son Wilhelm Perthes (1793 - 1853) joined the firm in 1814. Wilhelm had prior publishing experience at the firm of Justus Perthes' nephew, Friedrich Christoph Perthes, who ran a publishing house in Hamburg. After Justus Perthes died in 1816, Wilhelm took charge and laid the groundwork for the firm to become a cartographic publishing titan. From 1817 to 1890. the Perthes firm issued thousands of maps and more than 20 different atlases. Along with the visionary editors Hermann Berghaus (1797 - 1884), Adolph Stieler (1775 - 1836), and Karl Spruner (1803 - 1892), the Perthes firm pioneered the Hand Atlas. When Wilhelm retired, management of the firm passed to his son, Bernhardt Wilhelm Perthes (1821 – 1857). Bernhardt brought on the cartographic geniuses August Heinrich Peterman (1822 - 1878) and Bruno Hassenstein (1839 - 1902). The firm was subsequently passed to a fourth generation in the form of Berhanrd Perthes (1858 – 1919), Bernhard Wilhelm's son. The firm continued in the family until 1953 when, being in East Germany, it was nationalized and run as a state-owned enterprise as VEB Hermann Haack Geographisch-Kartographische Anstalt Gotha. The Justus family, led by Joachim Justus Perthes and his son Wolf-Jürgen Perthes, relocated to Darmstadt where they founded the Justus Perthes Geographische Verlagsanstalt Darmstadt. Learn More...
Source
Spruner, Karl, Historisch-geographi scher Hand-Atlas zur Geschichte der Staaten Europa's vom Anfang des Mittelalters bis auf die neueste Zeit, 1854.
Condition
Very Good. Original centerfold. Original platemark visible. Blank on verso. Minor overall toning. Minor foxmarks here and there.
References
Rumsey 2600.024. OCLC 4125021.