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This intricately detailed map of Upper and Lower Alsace focuses on the region surrounding Strasbourg and follows the course of the Rhine River from Germersheim in the north to Koblenz in Switzerland.
The map captures the strategic importance of the Alsace region, a critical corridor between France and the German-speaking territories of the Holy Roman Empire. The Rhine River, depicted as a dominant geographical feature, serves as the primary axis around which the map is organized. Numerous towns and cities are labeled, including Strasbourg, a major cultural and economic hub, and Koblenz, a significant trading post at the confluence of the Rhine and Aar Rivers.
The map’s vibrant hand-coloring distinguishes various administrative regions and jurisdictions. These divisions reflect the fragmented political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire, where small duchies, bishoprics, and free cities coexisted, each with its own governance. The boundaries between Upper Alsace (Alsatia Superior) and Lower Alsace (Alsatia Inferior) are clearly delineated, along with neighboring territories in Germany and Switzerland.
The ornate title cartouche in the upper left corner is a classic example of Baroque cartographic embellishment. It features allegorical figures, including Mercury, the Roman god of commerce, symbolizing trade and communication, and Fame, holding a trumpet to announce the map’s importance
Tobias Conrad Lotter (1717-1777) is one of the best-known German mapmakers of the eighteenth century. He engraved many of the maps published by Matthaus Seutter, to whose daughter Lotter was married. He took over Seutter’s business in 1756. Lotter’s son, M. A. Lotter, succeeded his father in the business.
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