Europe - Czech Republic; Franz Johann Joseph von Reilly (1760-1820) - "Die Markgrafschaft Mehren" nro. 114 - 1781-1800

Type: Copperplate etching on copper;
Support: Heavy laid paper with a well-visible watermark in transmitted light;
Condition: Excellent impression, contemporaneous coloring, good state of conservation with slight traces of foxing and browning, signs of wear from time, all as in the photo;
Shipping: insured Bartolini/DPD courier, declare any damages at pickup;
Provenance: From a private collection;

Franz Johann Joseph von Reilly (1766–1820) was a central figure in Austrian cartography of the late eighteenth century. Born in Vienna, he inherited a considerable fortune that allowed him to abandon an unsatisfying civil service career to devote himself entirely to publishing and producing maps and atlases. Here are the most relevant aspects of his career:

The Great Works

Schauplatz der fünf Theile der Welt (1789–1806): This is his most ambitious project, a monumental universal atlas. He published about 830 maps, releasing a new plate nearly every week for 17 years. Despite the ambitious title (“Scene of the five parts of the world”), the work remained focused almost exclusively on Europe due to interruptions caused by the Napoleonic Wars.

Grosser Deutscher Atlas (1794–1796): This work is historically significant for being the first atlas of the world entirely produced and published in Austria.

Wappen-Tafeln: Reilly did not limit himself to geographical maps; he produced numerous “heraldic tables” (such as the one you shared), which described with precision the complex dynastic and territorial connections of the era.