Attica by John Thomson

Code: 51065

Author: Thomson, John

Publisher: New General Atlas

Date published: 1815

Copper engraving with original hand colouring. Overall size: 35cms x 50.7cms. Image size: 332mm x 467mm. Trimmed to neatline on right side and margin extended with old paper. Shows routes and tracks. This map delineates many of the important cities and sites in early Greek History including Athens, the Plain of Marathon, Salamis, and the sites of numerous historic ruins. Two scales of distance. Engraved by E. Mitchell. Overall browning and one area of abrasion in bottom blank; brown mark opposite Hill of Messoguardia near the wash border and right margin a little browned else good. John Thomson was one of the leading exponents of the Edinburgh school of cartography which reached its zenith between 1800 and 1830. Thomson & his contemporaries such as Pinkerton and Cary redefined European cartography by abandoning such 18th century decorative elements as elaborate title cartouches and fantastic beasts in favour of detail and accuracy. Thomson's principle works include the Thomson's New General Atlas published from 1814 though 1827 (from which this map originates) and his Atlas of Scotland. The Atlas of Scotland, a work of groundbreaking detail and dedication would eventually bankrupt the Thomson firm in 1830. His maps are prized today for the quality of their detail, their size and the attractiveness of the original colouring.