1920 Lissac Pictorial Map of Paris, France

This is a 1920 Pierre-Marie-Joseph Lissac pictorial map of Paris, France. The map depicts the city from the Bois de Boulogne to the Jardin des Plantes and the 'Rue Grange-aux-Belles' and from Montmartre to the Jardin du Luxembourg. A satirical look at Jazz Age Paris, the map emphasizes the gaiety of life in Paris following the end of World War I. Very few buildings are illustrated, only the Arc de Triomphe at Etoile and the Eiffel Tower. The rest of the map is populated by Parisians or visitors. Everyone is either dancing or otherwise taking advantage of the pleasures of life in Paris. People are either partaking, or watching those who are. Even the animals in the menagerie in the Jardin des Plantes are dancing. However, there is some biting commentary as well. Several dances are labeled, which are not truly dances at all. The danse des milliards (dance of the millionaires) and the valse de l'anse du panier (waltz of the basket handle), for example. The excesses of the time are also made apparent through one man’s question of whether or not there is 'something to rent' in the Eiffel Tower. Another important detail worth noting is the depiction of black entertainers. Drawn more as a caricature than any of the white Parisians, this is not a strange occurrence for the time period. Advertisements, particularly for items that originated in the Colonies, would often depict Africans in such a manner. Here, they are illustrated as playing in a band and, apparently, as an entertainer in the southern part of the city.

As far as Parisian geography is concerned, the Seine still traverses the city, and several neighborhoods are labeled, including Les Halles, Faubourg Saint Germain, La Muette, and, of course, Montmartre. Numerous streets are illustrated, although none are labeled.

This map was produced by Pierre-Marie-Joseph Lissac and published in the February 14, 1920 issue of La Vie Parisienne.