• Vintage map of France with decorative elements and cartouches
  • Vintage map section with text and color highlighting
  • Vintage map detail with a compass rose and directional text.
  • Close-up of an old document with text and numbers on a yellow background
  • Close-up of a historical map with coat of arms and measurements on a yellow background
  • Vintage map detail with text and coordinates on a yellowed paper background
  • Vintage map detail with compass rose and coordinates
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Antique map of France, 1738

SKU:  195241

Antique map of France, 1738

€56,06 EUR
€56,06 EUR
Aanbieding Uitverkocht
Inclusief btw. Verzendkosten worden berekend bij de checkout.

The 1738 map La France suivant les Nouvelles observations by Michel-Antoine Baudrand, revised and engraved by Claude Roussel, represents a significant moment in the evolution of French cartography, when empirical measurement and administrative clarity increasingly replaced older, speculative geographic traditions. Produced during the reign of Louis XV, the map reflects France’s ambition to define and control its territory with greater scientific precision.

The map presents the kingdom of France in a balanced, carefully proportioned format, with provincial boundaries clearly delineated and differentiated through subtle hand coloring. Major cities, fortified towns, and regional centers are densely labeled, emphasizing the political and administrative structure of the realm. River systems such as the Seine, Loire, Rhône, and Garonne are prominently traced, highlighting their importance as commercial arteries and natural organizing features of the landscape. Mountain ranges, including the Pyrenees, Alps, and Massif Central, are rendered in shaded relief, reinforcing France’s natural borders.

Baudrand’s geographic scholarship, grounded in contemporary surveys and astronomical observations, sought to correct earlier inaccuracies in latitude, longitude, and regional proportions. Claude Roussel’s engraving translates this precision into crisp linework and legible typography, ensuring both clarity and elegance. The restrained decorative elements—most notably the refined title cartouche—reflect a shift toward Enlightenment aesthetics, where information takes precedence over excessive ornament.

Beyond its visual appeal, the map served a practical and political function. By presenting France as a coherent, well-defined territory, it reinforced royal authority and administrative centralization. As such, La France suivant les Nouvelles observations stands as both a scientific achievement and a symbolic statement of state power, illustrating how cartography became an essential instrument of governance in eighteenth-century France.

Materials

Cotton canvas, matte photo paper, fine art paper, pigmented inks.

  • The canvas it's 99 % cotton, 450 gr/sqm;
  • The matte photo paper it's acid-free (archival paper), 190 gr/sqm;
  • The fine art photo paper it's satinated (semi-glossy), 140 gr/sqm.

Shipping & Returns

Dispatching time: 1-2 days.

* Standard shipping fee: The orders will be sent by priority registered mail, usually via client National Post (USPS, Canada Post, Royal Mail, LaPoste, Deutsche Post, PostNL, etc). The delivery times are not guaranteed, sometimes it will take longer and these are beyond our control. Tracking number will be provided. Clients from US and Canada cannot track the parcels as the tracking numbers are not rolled in USPS and Canada Post systems.

* UPS standard: The orders will be sent with UPS expedited option. The delivery time it's between 5-11 days. Tracking number will be provided after dispatch.

* UPS express: The orders will be sent with UPS express saver. The delivery time it's between 4-7 days. Tracking number will be provided after dispatch.

Framing tips

Both type of materials, paper and canvas prints come rolled and will be need to be taken to your local framers.

The image it's printed with a border of 0.6 " (1.5 cm), for framing purposes only.

If you have already a frame, be sure you send us the exact size of the print that will fit inside the frame. We're printing on vectorial plotters so the size could slightly be more or less with 0.4" (1 cm).

If you plan to have the canvas print stretched on wooden frame, you'll need additional border, so please let us know after placing the order.

The images above was cropped from the image at the biggest size available (keeping the best quality and aspect /ratio), so, for good details please choose biggest dimensions that will suit your preferences / space.

Care Instructions

The print media (canvas or photo paper) could be cleaned only with a dry, soft cloth.

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