1826 Bulla Comparative Chart of the World's Mountains and Rivers

This is François Bulla's rare 1826 comparative mountains and rivers chart, one of the first charts to integrate mountains and rivers on a single chart, and the first to add waterfalls. For a long time, this map was considered by scholars to be the earliest known chart to consolidate comparative mountains and rivers charts into a single sheet. Today, that honor has been superseded by the 1823 William Darton chart. Nonetheless, the present chart is doubtless the second such to appear and, like the Darton, is a scarce separate issue. As a comparative chart, this Bulla is far more sophisticated than Darton's earlier chart, incorporating a larger format, significant additional information, and add comparative waterfalls.

The comparative mountains section, occupying the lower right half of this chart, details the principle mountains of the world. Ranges are color coded to show different types of vegetation and numerically reference tables in the lower right quadrant. The elevations of several important cities including Paris, Rome, London, Geneva, Mexico, Bogota, and Quito, among others, are noted. There are also extensive notations on vegetation, volcanic activity, and lichen, much of which is no doubt influenced by Humboldt. The Himalayan peak Dhaulagiri is identified as the world's greatest mountain. Even the aeronaut ballooning feats of Frenchman Gay-Lussac who attained an altitude of 23,000 feet in 1808, and the Italian meteorologist, Pascal Andreoli and Carlo Brioschi, who rose to 27,000 feet over Padua, also in 1808, are noted

The upper left portion of this chart is dominated by the world's greatest rivers. Bulla attempts not only to express the lengths of the various rivers, but also details regarding their course and sources. All along each river important lakes, cities, directions, and distance measurements are noted. Here the Amazon is identified as the world's greatest rive, followed by the Mississippi. The Nile comes up a sad sixth, although admittedly its full length had yet to be explored.

This is the first appearance of waterfalls on a comparative mountains and rivers chart. As the great waterfalls of South America and Africa remained as yet largely unknown in European intellectual circles, most of the focus is on European waterfalls with the Chute de Gavarnie identified as the world's greatest cascade.

We have identified at least two variants of his chart, but the plate seems identical. One was issued by Bulla et Fontana, the other by Chez Bulla. It is unclear which appeared first, or if they appeared simultaneously as all are assigned to 1826. Today examples of Bulla's charts are extremely rare.