1951 Liozu Pictorial Map of Central and Eastern Europe

Pictorial map of central and eastern Europe.

This is a colorful pictorial map of Eastern Europe dominated by the Soviet Union, drawn by Jacques Liozu in 1951. It is embellished with stereotypical imagery and charming animals.

A Closer Look

The map's coverage starts with the Baltic Sea in the north and the Adriatic Sea in the south, and spans eastwards to reach the Caspian Sea; it reaches as far south as the Mediterranean Sea, and as far north as the Barents Sea. The map thus pictures Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey - and dwarfing them all, the Soviet Union. Where space allows, Liozu has decorated each country with a character exhibiting traditional garb and stereotypes. The map's cartouche presents a woodland scene, and possibly an allegory. Its borders are embellished with the flags of the nations presented.

Cartoonish depictions illustrated the denizens of most of the countries illustrated here (a Czech and an Albanian could not, apparently, be fit). A Finnish hunter (with a seal on a leash!) looks eastwards with alarm. A Greek traditional dancer, a demure Bulgarian shepherdess, and a thoughtful Yugoslavian carry little subtext. A Romanian farmer tips his hat at the Bulgarian, while his wife glares in obvious disapproval. A Polish farmer is depicted less attractively, sprawled in his field with a bottle in hand and a peaceful smile. Turkey is represented by a silk-clad, bearded gentleman puffing on a shisha.

The Elephant in the Room is a Bear

More of the map is given to the Soviet Union than all the other countries together - remarkable in that the eastern part of that country beyond the Caspian is not included. Where the map notes only the capital of each of the others, the map includes not only Moscow but also Leningrad, Odessa, Kaunas, Riga, and Tallinn. The wide spaces offered allow the inclusion of more involved vignettes. Between the Black Sea and the Caspian, a Cossack woos a maid; near Moscow, a veiled maid with a basket is smiled upon by a cheerful worker (he has a hammer). A Russian soldier dances a Prisyadka while a comrade accompanies him on a balalaika. A variation of a Ukrainian tale of 'The Broken Jug' appears as well: a weeping maid scolded by her master, with a broken jug spilled between them. Hurtling across the north of the map is a troika, pursued by wolves. (It is the onset of this group that seems to alarm the Finnish hunter).

The cartouche presents a woodland scene, framed with trees and a pond. Fish, snakes, deer, and birds appear to share space amicably. Less so, the mouse caught by the eagle at the top of the frame. Meanwhile, a bear - in this context inescapably Russian - licks his chops in eager hunger at the feast spread before him.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by artist Jacques Lizou in 1951. Aside from the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection, the map does not appear in any institutional catalogs and is scarce to the market.

Cartographer

Jacques Liozu (1910 - 1974) was a French cartographer, painter, and illustrator active during the mid-20th century. Liozu is known for his wonderful pictorial maps of many different parts of the world.   Further Details...

Condition

Excellent.

References

Rumsey 10075.000.