A 19th-Century Set of Incredibly-Detailed Lithographed Views Showing the 12 Arrondissements of Paris. The Rooftops of Paris, on a Block-By-Block Basis.
Rare set of lithographs of the arrondissements of Paris, showing the then-twelve districts in marvelous detail. Showcasing the diversity and brilliant architecture of the City of Lights, this work preserves an unusual all-encompassing view of the city.
The views are particularly interesting for their perspective. While birds-eye views were a common representation of cities in the 19th century, all the views in the set include the phrase "scene taken from above (e.g.,) the Louvre." This suggests that the views were originally drawn from a Montgolfier before being copied in lithograph form.
This set was produced by the Sebastian Avanzo publishing house, lithographed by Jules Arnout, and drawn by Nicolas Chapuy. The set shows each of the twelve districts of Paris in magnificent detail, with building-by-building demarcation easily visible and detail extending to individual windows and features. The images produced as part of this project are a remarkable preservation of the nineteenth-century layout of the city and came nearly exactly one hundred years after the previous great aerial view of the city produced under Michel-Étienne Turgot.
The "arrondissements" of Paris have changed since this view was made, meaning that the named districts are different than those of today. The naming of the arrondissements starts at the Louvre and proceeds in a clockwise spiral around the city, like today, however, their much-reduced size in the 19th century means that only the first two are in geographically similar locations.
The views in the set show many of the famous monuments of Paris, including the Louvre, the Invalides, the Pantheon, and the Mont-Saint-Michel. Each view demarcates the neighborhood it purports to depict in lighter colors, shading the surrounding neighborhood. Two features are particularly interesting in the layout of the city: first, the proximity to which the surrounding countryside at times approaches the city center; and second, the deeply industrial nature of Paris at the time.
Rarity
No copies RBH. We trace one example through OCLC, at Princeton. We also locate two complete sets at the Musee Carnavalet, in Paris.