1822 Map of Africa by Adrien Brué

Adrien Hubert Brué’s Carte physique et politique de l’Afrique (Paris, 1822) is a finely engraved, hand-coloured map that integrates both physical and political geography at a moment when much of Africa’s interior remained a blank to Europeans. Published by J. Goujon, the map depicts mountain ranges in hachures, traces major rivers such as the Nile and West African systems, and carefully labels coastal colonies, towns, and indigenous territories, while leaving central and southern regions largely empty to signal “terra incognita.” Using the Paris meridian and Brué’s elegant cartographic style, the sheet highlights European knowledge of Africa as it stood in the early 19th century, when maritime and colonial footholds were secure but inland exploration had scarcely begun. Issued in Brué’s educational Atlas universel and later reprints, it illustrates both the ambition and the limits of European mapping before the great mid-century expeditions, serving as a visual record of Africa caught between coastal certainty and interior speculation.

This map is a reproduction of a historical map that is now in the public domain. It has been selected for its aesthetic appeal and historical interest and carefully restored and reproduced to preserve its original detail and character.  There may be marks and fold lines visible which add to the authentic look.  The map is printed on 230gsm heavyweight coated paper with a matte finish.  Most old maps were printed on uncoated rag or wood pulp papers and therefore a matte finish best represents the original map.