1850 Grant and Saunier Map of Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France

This is a c. 1850 E. Grant plan or map of the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, France. Oriented towards the east, Père Lachaise is one of the world's most famous cemeteries, drawing over three million visitors annually. The cemetery is named after François d'Aix de La Chaise, known as le Père Lachaise, Louis XIV's confessor. Nearly 440 gravesites are identified (many of which have the corresponding monument illustrated in profile) and are listed in two separate indexes. The first, situated along the left and right sides of the map, is an alphabetical index. A secondary numerical index appears along the bottom border. Paths, both large and small, are illustrated. Among the famous individuals buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery when this map was published were composer Frédéric Chopin, playwright Molière, author Jean de La Fontaine, author Honoré de Balzac, cartographer Jean-Nicholas Buache, and painter Théodore Géricault. Luminaries buried here after this map was published include Édith Piaf, Jim Morrison, Marcel Proust, and Oscar Wilde.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by E. Grant and Auguste Mxxx, engraved by Charles Saunier with lettering by Langevin, printed by F. Chardon, and published by Simon Raçon et Cie. c. 1850. This map appeared in two states. The present state was separately issued c. 1850 and published by Simon Raçon et Cie. The second state appeared in a book by M.A. Henry entitled Père Lachaise Historique, Monumental et Biographique published in 1852. Examples of this map, which we believe to have been incorrectly dated, are part of the institutional collections at the Central Library in Zurich and the Bavarian State Library in Munich.