|
||
|
|
|
|
Rare 1774 state of Janvier's large format map of Poland, showing the Kingdom of Poland at its grandest scale.
The map would go through several updates, including editions of (1760, 1774 and 1780).
This 1774 state includes a legend in the Baltic Sea. This map legend—titled Démembrements faits en 1773 (Dissections made in 1773)—refers to the First Partition of Poland, a significant geopolitical event in European history. In 1772, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was divided for the first time among three neighboring powers: Prussia, Austria (the Habsburg Monarchy), and Russia. These divisions were formalized and reflected in cartographic form by 1773–1774, and this map captures the aftermath of that dismemberment.
The legend explains the color coding used on the map to distinguish which parts of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth were taken by each power and what remained:
-
Red (rouge): "ce qui reste à la Pologne" – this indicates the territory that remained under Polish control after the partition.
-
Blue (bleuë): "ce qui est au Roi de Prusse" – this shows the land annexed by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia.
-
Yellow (jaune): "à la Reine de Hongrie" – this marks the area taken by Maria Theresa, Queen of Hungary and ruler of the Habsburg Monarchy (Austria).
-
Green (verte): "à l’Impératrice de Russie" – this identifies the territory acquired by Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia.
This color-coded legend thus serves as a key to reading the map’s depiction of the geopolitical realignment following the First Partition. It reveals the extent of territorial loss suffered by the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the expansionist gains made by the three partitioning empires. The use of monarchical titles rather than state names reflects the dynastic nature of European rule at the time and the cartographic conventions of the 18th century.
