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C1799
A Map of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Dutchy of…
Mapmaker:
Second edition of this finely engraved map by William Faden, Geographer to the King and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Much of the information for this map came from a twenty-four sheet map by Rizzi Zannoni published in Paris in … Read Full Description
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Full Title:
A Map of the Kingdom of Poland and Grand Dutchy of Lithuania Including Samogitia and Curland, Divided According to their Disemberments with the Kingdom of Prussia
Date:
C1799
Mapmaker:
Condition:
In good condition, centre fold as issued
Technique:
Copper engraving with original hand colouring.
Image Size:
595mm
x 530mm
AUTHENTICITY
Genuine antique
dated:
1799
Description:
Second edition of this finely engraved map by William Faden, Geographer to the King and H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. Much of the information for this map came from a twenty-four sheet map by Rizzi Zannoni published in Paris in 1772, shortly after the first partition. A note lower left states that the map is updated to March 1797. This map includes an ornately bordered small inset town plan of Warsaw and a table showing the populations of Lithuania-Poland prior to ‘dismemberment’ and of the individual Russian, Austrian and Prussian provinces after the partitions. Also noted is the total number of Jews in the provinces. From 1569, Poland and Lithuania were united in a union called the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and enjoyed several decades of prosperity before entering a period of economic, political and military decline. Its increasing weakness in the late eighteenth century led to the progressive partitioning of the union by the Russians, Austrians and Prussians in between 1772 and 1795, which resulted in the elimination of an independent Poland for the next 123 years.
William Faden (1750 - 1836)
Important English cartographer and publisher who served as the royal geographer to King George III. Born in 1749, he rose to become one of the most influential figures in the golden age of British mapmaking. His career began in earnest when he entered into a partnership with Thomas Jefferys, an established mapmaker who had fallen into financial difficulty. Following Jefferys' death in 1771, Faden took over the business and quickly built a reputation for precision and artistic quality.
He published a vast range of maps covering Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as specialized astronomical charts. His commitment to accuracy led him to incorporate the latest scientific surveys into his prints. He was particularly known for his involvement in the early stages of the Ordnance Survey, the national mapping agency of Great Britain. In 1801, Faden published the very first Ordnance Survey map, a detailed rendering of Kent that set a new standard for topographical excellence
As his career coincided with the American Revolutionary War, Faden became the primary source for the British public and government to understand the conflict, publishing numerous detailed battle plans and maps of North America. These works were often based on eyewitness accounts and surveys from British army engineers, making them some of the most accurate records of the era.
Faden’s influence extended into the administrative and royal spheres. His title as Geographer to the King, was not merely ceremonial; he provided the crown and the Admiralty with the geographic intelligence necessary for navigating a rapidly expanding empire. His workshop at Charing Cross in London became a hub for geographers, explorers, and military officers seeking the most reliable data available. He retired from the business in 1823, selling his extensive stock and plates to James Wyld, who had been his apprentice. Faden died in 1836, leaving behind a legacy of cartographic excellence that helped transition mapmaking from an interpretive art into a rigorous scientific discipline.
