Original antique map engraved by John Cary in 1806 and published in his New Universal Atlas in 1808. With original hand colouring.
"A New Map of France Agreeable to its Division into Provinces as Previous to the Revolution" is a prominent, historically significant antique map created by the celebrated English engraver and cartographer John Cary, It illustrates the old feudal and administrative boundaries of the Ancien Régime before the National Constituent Assembly completely abolished them in 1790 to create 83 uniform departments.
Published during the Napoleonic Wars, this map is frequently interpreted by historians as a British political snub toward Napoleon. By deliberately showcasing pre-revolutionary provincial lines rather than the newly enacted French departments, British publishers highlighted a traditional, monarchical France.
The map displays intricate details of cities, postal roads, mountain passes, and waterways. It features delicate, original hand-colouring to delineate the borders of ancient cultural regions like Normandy, Brittany, Burgundy, Languedoc, and Provence.
Before the 1790 administrative overhaul, France was structured around major military governments (gouvernements) and traditional provinces, each retaining distinct legal, fiscal, and linguistic identities:
John Cary (1755–1835), was a prominent British cartographer and engraver. He published a wide range of highly accurate copper-engraved maps that became industry standards for their clean, un-ornamented style. These 1804 editions were largely prepared for his comprehensive New Universal Atlas, which was eventually issued in full in 1808.
Cary served his apprenticeship as an engraver in London, before setting up his own business in the Strand in 1783. He soon gained a reputation for his maps and globes. He published 'The New and Correct English Atlas' in 1787, which soon became a standard reference work in England.
In 1794 Cary was commissioned by the Postmaster General to survey England's roads. This resulted in Cary's 'New Itinerary', published in 1798, containing maps of all the major roads in England and Wales. He also produced Ordnance Survey maps prior to 1805.
Cary's New Universal Atlas, is a landmark of early 19th-century map making. It represented a shift from the decorative, artistic maps of the 18th century toward a more modern, scientific approach prioritising clarity, accuracy, and meticulous detail.
The 1808 edition featured 56 hand-coloured, engraved maps covering all major states and kingdoms worldwide, including highly detailed maps of England and Wales.
Cary replaced the "quaintness and charm" of older maps with a scientific rationality, using the latest surveying techniques to establish a standard that later influenced the Ordnance Survey.
The atlas was so popular it was reissued at least seven times over the next 30 years.
