A Magnificent Custom Made World Atlas Compiled For One France's Most Influential Architects and Architectural Educators
Fascinating 2 volume world atlas, compiled for Jacques-François Blondel (1705 – 1774), a highly influential architect, mathematician and teacher, who played an important role in educating French engineers and mapmakers in conjunction with the French École des Ponts et Chaussées.
As noted on manuscript title page in the first volume of this unique 2-volume work, Blondel, a Master of Mathematics and Engineering, directed and organized the atlas in two volumes, featuring maps from esteemed contemporary authors. The first volume focuses on Europe's principal maps, while the second covers maps of Asia, Africa, and the Americas, essential for navigators. The atlas includes the coastal regions, ports, and possessions of European powers, as well as newly discovered locations and astronomical observations. Blondel's meticulous work ensures the atlas provides a thorough understanding of global geography and hydrography.
The atlas reflects the both the individual selection of maps by some of France's most mid-18th Century mapmakers, including Robert de Vaugondy, Jaillot, Buache, Bellin, Julien, d'Anville, Desnos, Maurepas and Longchamps. The maps also reflect the coloring of skilled mid-18th Century French coloristists, employing a color style intended to differentiate between geographical regions and emphasize coastal features.
Several of the map chosen are quite rare, most notably the Inseln-Jaillot map of Spain and De Vaugondy Celestial Hemispheres. The organization is also unusual, interspersing maps and sea charts with maps of islands and ancient maps, all of which are in original color.
The two volumes include title pages and a table of contents for each volume, the first title page comprising an elaborate hand written explanation of the process by which the atlas was compiled, which concludes with a printed quote from the Roman fabulist Phaerdus, "Nisi utile est quod facimus stulta est gloria" (Unless what we do is useful, our glory is foolish). This phrase underscores the idea that actions must have practical or beneficial outcomes to be truly valuable. It critiques the pursuit of glory or fame for its own sake, suggesting that such pursuits are empty and meaningless if they do not serve a useful purpose.
The whole is bound in a magnificent 2 volume marbled leather binding, with rich gilding on the spines, sides and inside edges, covered with gold fillets and floral corner pieces.
The title is in manuscript and includes an elaborate description of the the process by which the atlas was assembled specifically for Blondel in or about 1769 at the culmination of his illustrious career. The full text of the title pages reads as follows:
Atlas Géographique & Hydrographique, composé de Cartes choisies parmi celles des meilleurs Auteurs de ce tems, assujeties aux observations astronomiques les plus exactes & les plus modernes.
Ce Recueil contient deux Volumes. Dans le Premier sont renfermées toutes les principales Cartes de l'Europe, dont les auteurs sont MM. de l'Isle, Jaillot, Robert, &c. Chaque Carte est enluminee proprement & à la manière de Hollande; et toutes les Villes qui méritent quelque attention, marquées d'un caractère distinctif.
Le Second Volume contient les Cartes des trois autres parties de la terre, avec toutes celles qui sont nécessaires aux Navigateurs, pour acquérir une parfaite connoissance des Mers qui arrosent l'un & l'autre hémisphère. C'est assez faire l'éloge de ces dernières, de dire que ce sont celles de M. Bellin, Ingénieur de la Marine. L'on y voit les Côtes d'Europe, d'Asie, d'Afrique & d'Amérique; tous les ports de Mer, les possessions des différentes Puissances de l'Europe; tous les endroits nouvellement découverts, & ceux où l'on a fait les observations astronomiques, auxquelles sont jointes les Cartes pour l'histoire Sacrée et ancienne. Besoins que l'on peut dire que cet Atlas, sans multiplier les objets, contient tout ce qui est nécessaire, pour acquérir en peu de tems la connoissance de toutes les parties de la terre & de la Mer.
Ce Atlas a été dirigé & mis en ordre par le Sr. Blondel, Maître de Mathématiques & Ingénieur, tant pour les fortifications, que pour la Géographie & l'Hydrographie.
Translated:
Geographical & Hydrographical Atlas, composed of maps selected from those of the best authors of this time, based on the most exact and modern astronomical observations.
This Collection contains two Volumes. In the First are enclosed all the main Maps of Europe, whose authors are Messrs. de l'Isle, Jaillot, Robert, etc. Each Map is neatly colored and in the manner of Holland; and all the Cities that deserve some attention are marked with a distinctive character.
The Second Volume contains the Maps of the three other parts of the earth, along with all those that are necessary for Navigators to acquire a perfect knowledge of the Seas that wash one and the other hemisphere. It is sufficient praise of these latter to say that they are those of Mr. Bellin, Engineer of the Navy. There one can see the Coasts of Europe, Asia, Africa, & America; all the seaports, the possessions of the different Powers of Europe; all newly discovered places, and those where astronomical observations have been made, to which are added the Maps for Sacred and ancient history. It can be said that this Atlas, without multiplying objects, contains all that is necessary to acquire in a short time the knowledge of all parts of the earth and Sea.
This Atlas was directed and arranged by Mr. Blondel, Master of Mathematics & Engineer, both for fortifications, as well as for Geography & Hydrography.
Maps
Volume I:
- Mappemonde en deux hémisphères - Fo. 1 [World Map in two hemispheres]
- Planisphères Célestes en deux Feuilles - 2 et 3 [Celestial Planispheres in two sheets]
- Europe Générale - 4 [General Europe]
- France Générale, par Gouvernements Militaires - 5 [General France, by Military Governments]
- France divisée en Généralités, avec les routes des Postes - 6 [France divided into Generalities, with postal routes]
- France divisée en 13 Parlements et 32 Conseils Souverains - 7 [France divided into 13 Parliaments and 32 Sovereign Councils]
- Environs de Paris - 8 [Surroundings of Paris]
- Généralité de Paris, contenant 4 Feuilles de Suite - 9, 10, 11, 12 [Generality of Paris, containing 4 sequel sheets]
- Généralité de Soissons - 13 [Generality of Soissons]
- Gouvernement de Normandie, 2 Feuilles - 14, 15 [Government of Normandy, 2 sheets]
- Picardie - 16 [Picardy]
- les Pays-Bas et la Flandre, 4 Feuilles - 17, 18, 19, 20 [The Netherlands and Flanders, 4 sheets]
- la Champagne, 2 Feuilles - 21, 22 [Champagne, 2 sheets]
- la Lorraine et le Duché de Bar - 23 [Lorraine and Duchy of Bar]
- le Luxembourg Français - 24 [The French Luxembourg]
- l'Alsace Septentrionale - 25 [Northern Alsace]
- l'Alsace Méridionale - 26 [Southern Alsace]
- la Franche-Comté, 2 Feuilles - 27, 28 [Franche-Comté, 2 sheets]
- la Bourgogne et la Bresse, 2 Feuilles - 29, 30 [Burgundy and Bresse, 2 sheets]
- le Lyonnois, Forez, Beaujolais, l'Auvergne, le Bourbonnais et la Marche, en 3 gen: de Lyon, de Riom, et de Moulins - 31 [Lyonnais, Forez, Beaujolais, Auvergne, Bourbonnais and Marche, in 3 sheets: Lyon, Riom, and Moulins]
- 2e Carte du Lyonnois - 32 [2nd Map of Lyonnais]
- la Généralité de Limoges - 33 [Generality of Limoges]
- la Province du Berri - 34 [Province of Berry]
- la Généralité d'Orléans - 35 [Generality of Orléans]
- la Touraine, le Maine, l'Anjou, et le Saumurois - 36 [Touraine, Maine, Anjou, and Saumurois]
- 2e Feuille de la Généralité de Tours - 37 [2nd Sheet of the Generality of Tours]
- la Bretagne - 38 [Brittany]
- le Poitou - 39 [Poitou]
- la Généralité de la Rochelle - 40 [Generality of La Rochelle]
- le Gouvernement de Guyenne et de Gascogne, 2 Feuilles - 41, 42 [Government of Guyenne and Gascogne, 2 sheets]
- le Roussillon - 43 [Roussillon]
- le Gouvernement général de Languedoc - 44 [General Government of Languedoc]
- 2e Feuille du Gouvernement général des Cévennes - 45 [2nd Sheet of the General Government of the Cévennes]
- le Dauphiné - 46 [Dauphiné]
- la Provence - 47 [Provence]
- l'Empire d'Allemagne avec toutes les Routes - 48 [The German Empire with all the routes]
- Carte des Postes d'Allemagne - 49 [Postal Map of Germany]
- la Flandre ou Cercle de Bourgogne - 50 [Flanders or Circle of Burgundy]
- Cercle de Westphalie - 51 [Circle of Westphalia]
- Cercle de Basse Saxe - 52 [Circle of Lower Saxony]
- Cercle de Haute Saxe et de Langraviat de Thuringe - 53 [Circle of Upper Saxony and Langraviat of Thuringia]
- 2e Feuille contenant les États du Roy de Prusse - 54 [2nd Sheet containing the States of the King of Prussia]
- Cercle de Franconie - 55 [Circle of Franconia]
- Cercles du Haut et du Bas Rhin - 56 [Circles of Upper and Lower Rhine]
- Cercle de Souabe - 57 [Circle of Swabia]
- Cercle de Bavière - 58 [Circle of Bavaria]
- Cercle d'Autriche Partie Septentrionale - 59 [Circle of Austria Northern Part]
- Cercle d'Autriche Partie Méridionale - 60 [Circle of Austria Southern Part]
- le Comté de Tyrol - 61 [County of Tyrol]
- le Royaume de Bohème - 62 [Kingdom of Bohemia]
- les Provinces Unies des Pays-Bas - 63 [United Provinces of the Netherlands]
- Carte des 13 Cantons Suisses et de leurs Alliés - 64 [Map of the 13 Swiss Cantons and their Allies]
- l'Italie avec la Route des Postes - 65 [Italy with postal routes]
- la Lombardie Partie Occidentale - 66 [Lombardy Western Part]
- Partie Orientale de la Lombardie - 67 [Lombardy Eastern Part]
- Royaume de Naples Partie Septentrionale - 68 [Kingdom of Naples Northern Part]
- Partie Méridionale de Naples avec la Sicile et l'Isle de Malte - 69 [Southern Part of Naples with Sicily and the Island of Malta]
- l'État de l'Église et Grand-Duché de Toscane et la Corse - 70 [The State of the Church and Grand Duchy of Tuscany and Corsica]
- le Royaume d'Espagne général - 71 [The General Kingdom of Spain]
- Carte des Postes d'Espagne - 72 [Postal Map of Spain]
- la Biscaye et le Royaume de Navarre - 73 [Biscay and the Kingdom of Navarre]
- les Asturies et partie de Galice et de Léon - 74 [Asturias and part of Galicia and León]
- le Royaume de Galice Seul - 75 [The Kingdom of Galicia Alone]
- la Castille Vieille et nouvelle et l'Estramadure - 76 [Old and New Castile and Extremadura]
- le Royaume d'Aragon - 77 [The Kingdom of Aragon]
- la Principauté de Catalogne - 78 [The Principality of Catalonia]
- les Royaumes de Valence et de Murcie - 79 [The Kingdoms of Valencia and Murcia]
- Parties Méridionales des Côtes d'Espagne, 2 Feuilles - 80 [Southern Parts of the Coasts of Spain, 2 sheets]
- le Royaume de Portugal - 81 [The Kingdom of Portugal]
- l'Angleterre - 82 [England]
- l'Écosse - 83 [Scotland]
- l'Irlande - 84 [Ireland]
- le Dannemarc - 85 [Denmark]
- la Suède et la Norvège - 86 [Sweden and Norway]
- l'Empire des Russes - 87 [The Russian Empire]
- 2e Feuille de la Russie ou Sibérie en Asie - 88 [2nd Sheet of Russia or Siberia in Asia]
- le Royaume de Pologne - 89 [The Kingdom of Poland]
- Royaume de Prusse - 90 [Kingdom of Prussia]
- la Hongrie, la Transilvanie - 91 [Hungary, Transylvania]
- Partie Septentrionale de la Hongrie, et de l'Empire des Turcs - 92 [Northern Part of Hungary, and the Turkish Empire]
- la Grèce Moderne ou l'Empire des Turcs en Europe - 93 [Modern Greece or the Turkish Empire in Europe]
Volume II:
- Hémisphère Céleste Arctique - Fo. [Arctic Celestial Hemisphere]
- Hémisphère Céleste Antarctique - 1 [Antarctic Celestial Hemisphere]
- Tableau des Pavillons - 2 [Table of Flags]
- Variation de la Boussole - 3 [Compass Variation]
- L'Asie Générale - 4 [General Asia]
- États du Grand Seigneur en Asie et la Perse - 5 [States of the Grand Seigneur in Asia and Persia]
- Les Indes Orientales - 6 [The East Indies]
- Les Côtes de Malabar - 7 [The Malabar Coast]
- L'Isle de Ceylan - 8 [The Island of Ceylon]
- Archipel des Indes Orientales - 9 [Archipelago of the East Indies]
- L'Empire de la Chine - 10 [The Empire of China]
- L'Empire du Japon - 11 [The Empire of Japan]
- L'Afrique Générale - 12 [General Africa]
- Côtes d'Afrique - 13 [Coasts of Africa]
- Suite des mêmes Côtes - 14 [Continuation of the same Coasts]
- L'Isle de Bourbon - 15 [The Island of Bourbon]
- L'Amérique Générale - 16 [General America]
- L'Amérique Septentrionale - 17 [North America]
- 2e Feuille de l'Amérique Septentrionale - 18 [2nd Sheet of North America]
- Prem' Feuille de l'Amérique Méridionale - 19 [1st Sheet of South America]
- 2e Feuille de l'Amérique Méridionale - 20 [2nd Sheet of South America]
- 3e Feuille de l'Amérique Méridionale - 21 [3rd Sheet of South America]
- La Jamaïque - 22 [Jamaica]
- La Martinique - 23 [Martinique]
- L'Isle de Cuba - 24 [The Island of Cuba]
- L'Isle de St. Domingue - 25 [The Island of Saint-Domingue]
- La Grèce Ancienne - 26 [Ancient Greece]
- L'Asie Mineure Ancienne - 27 [Ancient Asia Minor]
- L'Italie Ancienne et la Sicile - 28 [Ancient Italy and Sicily]
- La Retraite des Dix Mille - 29 [The Retreat of the Ten Thousand]
- Les Expéditions d'Alexandre le Grand - 30 [The Expeditions of Alexander the Great]
- Terre de Chanaan - 31 [Land of Canaan]
- La Dispersion des Peuples après le Déluge - 32 [The Dispersion of Peoples after the Flood]
- Monarchie des Hébreux divisée en 12 Tribus - 33 [Monarchy of the Hebrews divided into 12 Tribes]
- Les Voyages de Jésus-Christ, de St. Pierre et de St. Paul - 34 [The Journeys of Jesus Christ, St. Peter, and St. Paul]
- La Mer Baltique - 35 [The Baltic Sea]
- La Mer Méditerranée - 36 [The Mediterranean Sea]
- 2e Feuille de la Méditerranée - 37 [2nd Sheet of the Mediterranean]
- 3e Feuille de la Méditerranée - 38 [3rd Sheet of the Mediterranean]
- Les Côtes d'Europe, depuis Dronthem jusqu'à Gibraltar - 39 [The Coasts of Europe, from Dronthem to Gibraltar]
- L'Océan Occidental, jusqu'au Cap de Bonne-Espérance - 40 [The Western Ocean, to the Cape of Good Hope]
- L'Océan Méridional, jusqu'à la Chine - 41 [The Southern Ocean, to China]
- Les Mers comprises entre l'Asie et l'Amérique - 42 [The Seas between Asia and America]
- L'Océan Oriental, ou Mer des Indes - 43 [The Eastern Ocean, or Indian Ocean]
- Golphe du Mexique - 44 [Gulf of Mexico]
- Les Îles Antilles - 45 [The Antilles Islands]
- Nouvelle Carte du Portugal - 46 [New Map of Portugal]
Jacques-François Blondel, born on January 8, 1705, in Rouen, France, was a preeminent 18th-century French architect and educator whose works significantly influenced Neoclassicism.
A diligent scholar and a proponent of rational architecture, Blondel's legacy is primarily anchored in his educational contributions and comprehensive architectural treatises. His works, particularly Cours d'architecture and Architecture françoise, established foundational principles that guided French architectural practice well into the 19th century.
Blondel's architectural journey began under the tutelage of his uncle, Jean-François Blondel, in Rouen before advancing his studies in Paris under Gilles-Marie Oppenord. This period exposed him to the Rococo style, which he skillfully blended with classical rationality. By 1737, he had published De la Distribution des Maisons de Plaisance, et de la Décoration des Edifices en General, an influential encyclopedic work that showcased his methodical approach and detailed knowledge, earning him considerable acclaim and commissions.
In 1740, Blondel established the École des Arts in Paris, a private architecture school that trained many prominent architects of the time, including Étienne-Louis Boullée and Claude-Nicolas Ledoux. His teaching emphasized the integration of classical principles with practical design, setting a standard for architectural education. This school eventually gained the endorsement of the Académie Royale d'Architecture in 1743, further cementing Blondel's influence in the architectural realm.
Blondel's Architecture françoise (1752-1756), a four-volume compendium, meticulously documented French architecture over the previous century. This work not only served as a historical record but also as a didactic tool that influenced both his contemporaries and future generations. His approach was characterized by clarity, rationality, and a commitment to the classical traditions of architecture, which stood in contrast to the prevailing Rococo extravagance.
In 1762, Blondel was appointed Professor of Architecture at the Académie Royale d'Architecture. His appointment marked the closure of his private school and the integration of his comprehensive curriculum into the Académie. His Cours d'architecture (1771-1777), a nine-volume series, encapsulated his teachings and principles, becoming a seminal text in architectural education. The final volumes were completed posthumously by his disciple Pierre Patte, ensuring the continuity of Blondel's pedagogical legacy.
In the realm of cartography, Blondel was an active participant as an instructor in conjunction with the École des Ponts et Chaussées, which was structured to enhance both practical and theoretical knowledge in engineering and mapmaking. Blondel provided specialized instruction to advanced students, who in turn summarized the instruction to their classmates. The students also made mock-ups and models for study and to learn different architectural techniques. Finally, they had to read and understand the works and treatises related to the Blondel’s work.
Despite his relatively modest body of executed work, predominantly in Metz under the patronage of the duc de Choiseul, Blondel's impact on the architectural discipline was profound. He contributed nearly 500 articles to Diderot's Encyclopédie, underscoring his role as a key intellectual figure in the Enlightenment era.