Rare Full Original Color Homann Map of Switzerland
This early 18th-century map of Switzerland, created by Johann Baptiste Homann, the patriarch of one of the most prolific German cartographic publishing houses of the time, offers a richly detailed depiction of the country.
The map shows the 13 Cantons of Switzerland, a significant historical feature of the Swiss Confederacy, with finely illustrated political boundaries, towns, rivers, lakes, and mountainous regions. Each canton is intricately delineated with colored borders, highlighting their geographic distribution and political divisions.
At the top left, a grand title cartouche dominates the corner of the map. This decorative feature incorporates the coat of arms of the 13 Cantons, alongside 20 other regional coats of arms, emphasizing the map's function as both a geographical tool and a representation of Swiss political unity. The cartouche is richly ornamented with allegorical figures, including cherubs, and Swiss symbols, such as flags, which lend a sense of grandeur and importance to the map.
Additionally, the lower portion of the map includes a charming vignette depicting Swiss mountain life and a typical Swiss home. The scene shows a man working by a fire, surrounded by wooden barrels and tools, capturing the rustic, everyday lifestyle of the Swiss people in a traditional alpine setting. To the left, the landscape transitions into dramatic mountain scenes, where travelers cross narrow paths and bridges amid towering peaks, illustrating the rugged terrain of the Swiss Alps.
Homann maps rarely appear in full original color.
Johann Baptist Homann (1663-1724) was a mapmaker who founded the famous Homann Heirs publishing company. He lived his entire life in Bavaria, particularly in Nuremberg. Initially, Johann trained to become a priest before converting to Protestantism and working as a notary.
In 1702, Johann founded a publishing house that specialized in engravings. The firm flourished, becoming the leading map publisher in Germany and an important entity in the European map market. In 1715, Johann was named Imperial Geographer to the Holy Roman Empire by Charles VI and made a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Most importantly for his business, his reputation and contacts gained him imperial printing privileges which protected his publications and recommended him to customers. Johann is best known for this Grosser Atlas ueber die ganze Welt, or the Grand Atlas of the World, published in 1716.
After Johann died in 1724, the business passed to his son, Christoph (1703-1730). Upon Christoph’s early death, the company passed to subsequent heirs, with the name of the company changing to Homann Erben, or Homann Heirs. The firm continued in business until 1848.