Carte Generale des Differentes Assemblees ou Conseils, des Cantons Suisses, et l’Ordre de Leur Gouvernement

General Map of the Different Assemblies or Councils of the Swiss Cantons, and the Order of Their Government – Approximate Title Translation

Four scenes show the different political bodies that make up the government of Switzerland. The copperplate-engraved sheet was originally published in Paris as part of Henri Abraham Chatelain’s important Atlas Historique. This monumental seven-volume set was first issued in Amsterdam between 1705 and 1720, but was re-printed in numerous in several subsequent editions until the late 1730s. The scholarly, but approachable, work was aimed at a broad audience, eager for new information during the Age of Enlightenment. The breadth of content offers a nuanced synthesis of geography, cosmography, history, religion, ethnology, and political science. The descriptive text (in French) and skillfully engraved maps, diagrams, and illustrations provide a fascinating window into the world of the early 18th century.