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Description

A meticulously detailed and decorative map by F. Vivier, circa 1720, depicting the region approximately 40km surrounding Paris and Versailles, extending to Mantes, Senlis, Melun, and Rambouillet, featuring a figurative cartouche and an additional engraved title. The map was published by the renowned German cartographer Johann Baptist Homann.

F. Vivier, the original cartographer, created this intricate map of the area around Paris and Versailles, capturing the region's geography during that period. The map showcases various towns and cities, including Mantes, Senlis, Melun, and Rambouillet, providing a comprehensive view of the landscape within a 40km radius of the French capital. The additional engraved title emphasizes the significance of the region as the central part of the Isle of France's government.

The map is not only known for its precise details but also its artistic appeal, featuring a figurative cartouche that adds an element of visual interest. The key accompanying the map provides information on various features, such as cities, market towns, villages, monasteries, castles, abbeys, farmhouses, courts, chapels, watermills, and windmills. Vivier's work, published by Homann, represents the cartographic style and craftsmanship typical of the early 18th century and serves as a valuable historical record of the region surrounding Paris and Versailles.

Condition Description
Lower-left corner clipped.
Johann Baptist Homann Biography

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.