Carte des Duches de Parme et Modene - Mentelle 1797

📜 Description
Antique engraved map depicting the Duchies of Parma and Modena, created by Edme Mentelle and Pierre-Gilles Chanlaire and published in Paris in 1797, representing the geographical and political structure of Northern Italy according to late eighteenth-century French cartography. The map, issued from the “Atlas Universel de Géographie,” documents the territory situated between the Duchy of Milan, the Republic of Genoa, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, and the Papal States, accurately illustrating the territorial organization of the Emilian duchies on the eve of the geopolitical transformations of the Napoleonic era. The composition stands out for its balance between scientific rigor and graphic clarity, featuring a dense toponymic network, river systems, Apennine mountain ranges, major communication routes, and political borders enhanced by period hand coloring. The etched line is precise and analytical, offering an updated representation of the territory according to the principles of French Enlightenment cartography, where documentary function is combined with formal elegance. The engraved title “Carte des Duchés de Parme et Modene” clearly identifies the geographical subject of the plate, conceived as a tool for consultation, study, and territorial reference within late eighteenth-century European geographical publishing.

📚 Historical-Artistic Note
Edme Mentelle (1730–1815) and Pierre-Gilles Chanlaire were among the leading figures of late eighteenth-century French cartography, active in the production of geographical atlases intended for both scientific consultation and educational dissemination. The “Atlas Universel de Géographie” represents one of the most important French geographical repertories of the Revolutionary period, characterized by updated topographical information, graphic clarity, and a rational Enlightenment-inspired approach. The maps devoted to Italian territories reflect the strong strategic and political interest of France toward the Italian peninsula during the late eighteenth century.

🧾 Technical Details
Title: Carte des Duchés de Parme et Modene
Type: Original engraved map
Author / Cartographer: Edme Mentelle – Pierre-Gilles Chanlaire
Designer / Engraver: not indicated
Publisher / Printer: Edme Mentelle – Pierre-Gilles Chanlaire
Place: Paris
Period: 1797
Material: Paper
Technique: Etching
Coloring: Period hand coloring
Edition / Print Run: From “Atlas Universel de Géographie”
Dimensions: sheet 49.5 × 63 cm; plate mark/engraving 32 × 42.5 cm

🔍 Condition Report
Sheet in excellent overall condition. Engraved surface well impressed and fully legible. Period hand coloring well preserved. Minor traces of age consistent with the period and the nature of the support. Blank verso.