1874 Tardieu Map of Gaul or France in Ancient Roman Times

This is a beautiful 1874 map of Gaul or France in ancient Roman times issued by Ambroise Tardieu. It covers from the English Channel south as far as the Pyrenees Mountains and Hispania. It includes the modern day nations of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and the Netherlands.

Gaul was the ancient name of a region of Western Europe which comprises of modern day France, Luxembourg, Belgium and Germany west of the Rhine. It also included most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy and parts of Netherland. After the Gallic Wars of 58-51 BC, all of Gaul came under the control of the Romans. It continued to remain under Roman control for almost 500 years before it fell to the Franks in AD 486. The Gallic Wars are believed to have been fought primarily to provide Caesar with wealth and popularity and to boost his political career rather than being a defensive action as described by Caesar. The campaigns are described by Caesar in his book Commentarii de Bello Gallico.

This map was prepared by Ambroise Tardieu and issued as plate 4 in his 1874 edition of Atlas Universel de Geographie Ancienne et Moderne.

Cartographers

Ambroise Tardieu (March 2, 1788 - January 17, 1841) was a prominent French cartographer and engraver operating in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He was member of the large and prolific Tardieu family, which, for over 200 years, produced multiple skilled and active engravers. Tardieu's work is known for its beauty and accuracy as well as for its depth of detail. Tardieu's most important work is his version of John Arrowsmith's large format map of the United States, published in 1806. Ambroise Tardieu is eclipsed in fame by his son, artist and medical scholar, August Ambroise Tardieu. Ambroise Tardieu is also frequently confused with Jean Baptiste Pierre Tardieu, another unrelated French map and print engraver active in the early 19th century.   Further Details...

Alexandre Aimé Vuillemin (1812 - 1880) was an engraver, publisher, and editor based in Paris, France in the middle of the 19th century. Despite a prolific publishing career, much of Vuillemin's life is shrouded in mystery. In 1852, he married Josephine Caroline Goret and they had at least one child, Ernestine Adèle Vuillemin, later in the same year. What is known is that his studied under the prominent French Auguste Henri Dufour (1798 - 1865). Vuillemin's most important work his detailed, highly decorative large format Atlas Illustre de Geographie Commerciale et Industrielle.   Further Details...

Source

Furne, Jouvet et Cie Atlas Universel de Geographie Ancienne et Moderne (Paris), 1874.    

Condition

Very good. Minor wear along original centerfold. Original platemark visible. Minor spotting.

References

Rumsey 4697.008 (1863 edition).