Blatt III., von Shimonosuwa bis Tokio

Article description

Original antique lithograph, hand coloured, published by Justus Perthes in Gotha for 'Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen', 1879. Lithograph, hand colored in outline. Sheet: 245 by 658mm (9¾ by 26 inches).. August Heinrich Petermann (1822–1878) was one of the most important German cartographers and geographers of the 19th century. Born in Bleicherode, Saxony, he trained at the Geographische Kunstschule in Potsdam under Heinrich Berghaus — himself a leading student of Alexander von Humboldt. After a formative decade in Edinburgh and London (1845–1854), where he gained broad experience in the commercial and scientific aspects of cartography, Petermann returned to Gotha and joined the Justus Perthes publishing house. In 1855 he founded 'Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen' (PGM), which swiftly became one of the world's foremost geographical journals — the definitive record of the great age of exploration and discovery. Petermann personally produced over 500 maps and signed 226 articles in PGM, ranging across Africa, the Polar regions, Asia, and the history and practice of cartography. In 1902, the eminent British cartographer J. G. Bartholomew wrote: 'No one has done more than he to advance modern cartography.' His maps are held in major institutions worldwide, including the Library of Congress, the British Library, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. This lithograph, hand coloured from 'Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen' focuses on Blatt Iii., Von Shimonosuwa Bis Tokio. Published in 1879 by Justus Perthes, Gotha, it exemplifies Petermann's exacting approach: drawing on the latest expedition reports, survey data, and geographical literature to produce maps of unrivalled scientific accuracy for their time. PGM maps from this period are highly sought after by collectors of exploration history, scientific cartography, and antique maps of the regions they depict. In excellent condition. The map was originally published folded, so that the old folds are still slightly visible.

Petermann, A. – Blatt Iii., Von Shimonosuwa Bis Tokio · Lithograph, Hand Coloured · Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen, Gotha · 1879