1815 British Isles

By: John Thomson Date: 1815 (Published) Edinburgh Dimensions: 19.75 x 23.5 inches (50.2 x 60 cm) This Thomson map of the British Isles was issued just as the UK and its allies had defeated Napoleon, in the middle of the second decade of the 19th century. The map is engraved in the minimalist English style pioneered in the early part of the 19th century, a style which reduced maps’ decorative elements to a minimum. Relief is shown by hachure with towns, cities, and major topographical features identified. John Thomson (1777 - 1841) was a Scottish cartographer, publisher, and bookbinder active in Edinburgh during the early part of the 19th century. Thomson apprenticed under Edinburgh bookbinder Robert Alison. Thomson was one of the leading publishers in the Edinburgh school of cartography, which flourished in the early decades of the 19th century. Thomson and his contemporaries (Pinkerton and Cary) redefined European cartography by abandoning typical 18th century decorative elements such