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This impressive four-sheet map of the United States by Pierre François Tardieu, produced around 1816 (first published in 1802), is a masterful reimagining of Aaron Arrowsmith’s 1796 A Map of the United States of North America. Tardieu, a renowned Parisian engraver, completely re-engraved Arrowsmith’s original work, making this one of the finest large-format maps of the United States from the early 19th century. Tardieu’s craftsmanship and European cartographic style elevate the map’s aesthetic and clarity, creating a visually compelling and richly informative depiction of the young nation.
The map incorporates significant updates to reflect the American territorial landscape at a time of westward expansion. Territories such as Michigan, Illinois, and the vast Louisiana Territory are prominently displayed, marking the scale and ambition of American growth. These regions, largely uncharted and sparsely populated in 1816, embody the era’s sense of discovery and Manifest Destiny as settlers moved into new frontiers. The addition of state and territorial borders provides a more precise view of the expanding United States than was available on Arrowsmith’s 1796 map.
Also from Arrowsmith map, Tardieu included a grand title cartouche featuring a dramatic illustration of Niagara Falls. Additionally, Tardieu incorporated an inset plan of Washington, D.C., based on Andrew Ellicott’s design, presenting a detailed layout of the U.S. capital, which was still a developing city at the time. This inset emphasizes the importance of Washington, D.C., as the political center of the expanding nation, and its detailed street grid illustrates the nascent vision for the capital’s future.
Published in Paris and distributed by European publishers like Treuttel & Würtz, this map reflects the strong interest in America’s growth and the significance of Tardieu’s contributions to cartography.
States
The first state of the map was issued in 1802.
The second state was issued in 1808, adding Michigan Territory, Ohio, Vermont, Kentucky & Tennessee.
A third state was issued in 1812, with at least two further states issued without a change to the printed year.
The three states dated 1812 can be identified most easily by Tardieu's treatment of the southern region of the United States:
- In the first, Georgia extends to the Mississippi River (pre-dating Mississippi Territory), West Florida is shown, Louisiana does not yet appear as a state, and there is a massive area called Indiana below Lake Michigan, with an unnamed Territory to the west.
- In the second state (circa 1816), Mississippi Territory is shown for the first time, along with Illinois Territory, Indiana Territory (which would become a state in November 1816), and a massive Northwest Territory.
- In the third state (1818) of the map, Alabama Territory appears for the first time, the roads in Illinois Territory and Indiana Territory have been changed, and East Florida and West Florida are no longer named.
An extremely rare 1820 issue is also known, which adds an additional set of half-sheets to the bottom of the map, extending its coverage over all of Florida.
Pierre Antoine Tardieu (1784-1869), also known to sign his works as PF Tardieu, was a prolific French map engraver and geographer. The Tardieu family, based in Paris, was well known for their talent in engraving, cartography, and illustration. Pierre Antoine’s father, Antoine Francois Tardieu, was an established cartographer who published numerous atlases. His son is said to have collaborated with him for many years before establishing his own independent career.
Pierre Antoine Tardieu’s most famous work includes engravings of the islands of La Palma and Tenerife, for which in 1818 he was awarded a bronze medal by King Louis-Phillipe for the beauty and accuracy of his mapping. Other famous work includes his mapping of Louisiana and Mexico, engravings of Irish counties, maps of Russia and Asia, and his highly celebrated illustrations of all the provinces of France. He was also the first mapmaker to engrave on steel.
Tardieu was a popular map engraver in his lifetime, enjoying the patronage of the likes of Alexander von Humboldt and respect among his peers. In 1837, he was appointed the title Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. As was written in his obituary in the Bulletin of the Geographical Society of France, he was renowned for his combination of technical talent and scholarly research skills and praised for furthering his family’s well-respected name in the scientific arts.
