1845 Chapuy View of Paris, France

Nicolas-Marie-Joseph Chapuy (1790 - July 23, 1858) was a French lithographer who specialized in works depicting monuments. Born in Paris, Chapuy attended the prestigious École polytechnique with designs of being a marine engineer. However, when his Bonapartist views came to light, he never received a posting. A fortuitous meeting with Théodore de Jolimont (February 8, 1787 - October 27, 1854) led Chapuy to a job as Jolimont's assistant on a series named French Cathedrals Drawn As They Are (Cathédrales françaises dessinées d'après nature). This project would become a lifelong endeavor for Chapuy, one that he pursued with Jolimont, on his own, and with his own students. Chapuy was known not only for his lithographs of cathedrals, but monuments in Paris and all over France. Chapuy died in Paris on July 23, 1858. More by this mapmaker...

Rose-Joseph Lemercier (June 29, 1803 - 1887) was a French photographer, lithographer, and printer. One of the most important Parisian lithographers of the 19th century, Lemercier was born in Paris into a family of seventeen children. His father was a basket maker, and he even began working as a basket maker at the age of fifteen, but Lemercier was drawn to lithography and printing and soon entered into an apprenticeship with Langlumé, where he worked from 1822 until 1825. After working for a handful of other printers, Lemercier started his own firm in 1828 at 2, rue Pierre Sarrazin with only one printing press. He subsequently moved a few more times before arriving at 57, rue de Seine, where he founded the printing firm Lemercier and Company. Lemercier created the firm Lemercier, Bénard and Company in 1837 with Jean François Bénard. Lemercier bought out Bénard's share in the firm in 1843 and, since his two sons died at a young age, he decided to bring his nephew Alfred into the business beginning in 1862, who would progressively take on more and more responsibility in running the firm. Between 1850 and 1870, Lemercier's firm was the largest lithographic company in Paris. The firm began to decline in prestige in the early 1870s, and, after Lemercier's death in 1887, its descent only quickened. It is unclear when the firm closed, but Alfred directed the firm until his death in 1901. Learn More...