France par Provinces, 1789, George Illustrav et Direx, Paris; Maison Basset, Ch. Smith sculp., Atlas B. Dub., Plate X
This finely engraved map, dated 1789, presents France divided by its traditional provinces, immediately prior to the administrative reforms of the French Revolution. It appears as Plate X in the Atlas B. Dub. and was published in Paris under the direction of George Illustrav et Direx. The engraving was executed by Ch. Smith (sculp.) for Maison Basset, a leading French publishing house renowned for scholarly atlases and high-quality cartography in the late 18th century.
The map depicts historical provincial boundaries, major towns, rivers, and principal roads, with careful hachuring and line work indicating relief and topography. It preserves the pre-Revolutionary geography of France, offering a snapshot of the country on the eve of profound political and administrative change.
Intended for inclusion in an atlas, the map combines practical geographic information with elegant visual presentation. Its 1789 date makes it particularly significant as a document of France’s territorial organization immediately before the creation of departments, and it remains valuable to historians, cartographers, and collectors interested in late 18th-century French mapping.