Panoramic Map of the Rhine from Cologne to Mayence [with notes]

A charming cruise down the Rhine River in the mid-19th century.

This incredible steel-engraved view replicates a popular element of the Grand Tour of Europe – a cruise down the Rhine River. Starting in Cologne (at the top) and traveling south towards Mainz, the souvenir panorama captures the course of the river and both banks in exacting, if somewhat stylized, detail. Though it was the height of the Age of Steam, chugging paddle boats and billowing factories are largely omitted in favor of a cleaner, romanticized landscape. Fortified cities, cultivated fields, dense forests, isolated estates, and rugged hillscapes are shown, as well as iconic landmarks (at an exaggerated size). Further attractions are listed along the borders, providing a ‘real time’ description of the Rhine’s many delights.

The strip-map view was created by Frederick William Delkeskamp in Frankfurt am Main in 1848. Delkeskamp first issued his panorama in 1825 and it was quickly reissued (and counterfeited) in several editions across multiple languages. This English version was published in London by W. Tombleston and Company and includes a sixteen-page guide which offers further information about the major sights.