Plan de Paris, Turgot's Map of Paris 1739.
Recently at the brocante I found a 1960s reproduction of it.
I was thrilled!
I am going up.
To the top.
With a wall paper brush in one hand and pages of Turgot's map of Paris in the other hand.
The last time I was up on a ladder, the ladder broke, my wrist snapped and I was in the hospital for three days.
Granted the ladder was old, cute but old that is. Now it is firewood.
My wrist took a beating, and awhile to heal. It took longer for me to get over the fear of going to the top of a ladder again.
Today is the day, wrist healed, memory not haunting, and wallpapering is calling me.
18th century French documents was what I used when I wallpapered the kitchen. Then I wallpapered another room in our home with an antique French quilt (boutis) that I had laser copied.
The French quilt wallpapered room remains three fourths finished… I am going up a ladder today, but not as high as I need to, to finish the job first job I started…
I am brave but not cocky. And the three fourths that I need to do, takes cockiness.
Instead I am going to wallpaper a wall in our bedroom with the Turgot's map pieces.
I thought about copying the old map paper, though the unusually large size of each piece is not worth the cost. I toyed with the idea of sewing each piece on old hemp. I am sure it would be attractive, but sewing doesn't make my creative hands want to move as much as wallpapering.
You are probably thinking, "Ding Dong, you could frame them!" Well my wall isn't large enough to hold the maps with frames. The unframed map surface is 110 x 102 inches! Let alone the added cost.
The Turgot Map of 1734-1739
"In 1734 Michel-Etienne Turgot (1690-1751) was the chief administrator of the city of Paris. He ordred the map to be created by Louis Bretez who then had the power to enter all the city's buildings and gardens.This was one of the last maps to be drawn in what is called "false perspective," that is, looking down on the city from a bird's eye viewpoint, though not even the hot air balloon had been invented yet. It was all done through the theory of perspective. This map is a truly remarkable creation. The original was in color and to look at it makes one feel that he or she is actually walking the streets of Paris. It is totally accurate.
Paris was smaller in the 18th century than it is now. The developed areas were compact and there was much open air from farms and the gardens of the great Abbayes. It is remarkable to see how tall the apartment buildings were (and the water had to be brought up the stairs). It was a truly bustling city and by the time Jefferson arrived the population was about 600,000."
You can look at the rest of the map and expand it to a very large size at:
Kyoto University, Japan "
Source from Jefferson in Paris.
A detail of the Plan de Paris, Turgot that I have.
The beauty of old maps is that you have to get up close to see the details. Maybe I shouldn't put it in our bedroom… I can just see French Husband and I sitting on the edge of the bed pointing out to places instead of well you know… sleeping.
Photo Source: Restoration Hardware.
TURGOT'S 1739 "PLAN DE PARIS" DECOUPAGE MAP
Gee, maybe I should have copied it! Nah, I'll find another one… the French brocante is good for that!!
Oh Google how you have changed the world!
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