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

Type: Etching on copper;
Support: Heavy white wove paper with partial watermark clearly visible in transmitted light;
Condition: Excellent incising, contemporaneous coloration, good state of conservation with slight traces of bloom and browning, signs of aging, all as shown in the photos;
Shipping: INSURED via BARTOLINI/DPD courier, report any damages at pickup;
Provenance: From a private collection;

Franz Johann Joseph von Reilly (1766–1820) was a central figure in late 18th-century Austrian cartography. 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 the production of maps and atlases. Here are the most relevant aspects of his career:

The Major Works

Schauplatz der fünf Theile der Welt (1789–1806): His most ambitious project, a monumental universal atlas. He published about 830 maps, releasing a new plate almost every week for 17 years. Despite the ambitious title ("Scene of the Five Parts of the World"), the work remained almost exclusively focused 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 “armorial plates” (such as the one you shared), which described with precision the complex dynastic and territorial ties of the era.