This is a beautiful example of Jean Janvier's 1762 decorative map of Scandinavia published for Jean Lattre's Atlas Moderne. It illustrates the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, along with portions of the Russian Empire, the British Isles, and the German lands.

A Closer Look

The map depicts the region from Iceland and England eastward as far as Moscow, north to the Arctic Sea, and south as far as Denmark and Germany and includes the modern-day nations of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. Towns, cities, rivers, mountains, and some undersea features are identified. A large decorative title cartouche is situated in the upper left corner of the map.

Of particular interest is the legendary Lofoten Maelstrom (Mael-Stroom) in northwestern Norway. This mythical whirlpool was the inspiration for Edgar Allen Poe's classic tale 'Descent into the Maelstrom.' In reality, it is a periodic and powerful current caused by tidal variations in the region.

Historical Context

Janvier's map depicts the region in the aftermath of the Great Northern War, when Russia under Peter the Great displaced the Swedish Empire as the dominant power in northern Europe. The Treaty of Nystad which ended the war is considered a watershed event in European history, signaling the beginning of the Russian Empire. It was followed by the War of Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War, heralding a broader realignment of Europe's balance of power, with Spain declining, France becoming the lodestar of the continent, and relative upstarts like Prussia and Britain (and Russia) gaining prominence.

Publication History and Census

This map was drawn by Jean Janvier and included as Plate No. 21 in the first edition of Jean Lattre's 1762 issue of the Atlas Moderne. This edition of the map is only independently cataloged in the holdings of two institutions while Lattre's Atlas is more widespread.