Müller's Map of Moravia and its Derivatives

In late May of 1708 the Bohemian Chancery (Česká dvroská kancelář, Böhmische Hofkanzlei) residing in Vienna ordered the Moravian Governer Office (Úřad zemského hejtmanství, Landeshauptmannschaft) to prepare a new map of Moravia. The fact that it was a more or less formal commission is evident from the date it was assigned: already on the 11th of June. The work was entrusted to Johann Christoph Müller who immediately afterwards began with the survey of the Znojmo region. He sent his detailed sketches in 1712 to the regional governors (krajští hejtmané, Kreishauptleute) to have them reviewed, and only after incorporating their comments could the final draft for the production of a printing plate have been prepared. Two years later the Brno engraver Johann Christoph Leidig was commissioned to make four copper plates. The map, which presented a major turning point in the quality of cartographic imaging of the Moravian territory, was in subsequent years many times reprinted and many other maps have been derived from it. Subsequently, in 1790, a second edition was made at the workshop of printer Franz Reiser in Brno. It was supplemented by the indexes and network coordinates. The Moravská zemská knihovna owns most of the editions of Müller´s map and its derivatives. A brief overview is available for the digitised items .

A digital copy is not available

Müller's Map - The Basic Map

The Moravian Library owns the basic map, engraved in 1714 by Johann Christoph Leidig, in two copies. Both of them have had the map sheets joined together, reinforced with canvas and fitted with wooden slats for wall hanging. Careful digitisation of large-format documents preserved in such a state would be significantly more expensive than making copies of map sheets of normal size. Online access was therefore postponed until future years in the case of these two maps. An almost equal substitute for them is the second edition of Müller΄s map of Moravia from 1790, listed at the end of the following overview.

Shelfmarks: STMPa-1257.876, STMpa-1257.877

Homann's edition with division into regions A

In Nuremberg, in 1720, Johann Baptist Homann published a clear, synoptic administrative map of Moravia in one sheet, which was later supplemented with geographic coordinates. From the apparent wear of the printing plate it is clear that this specimen must have been done some time after the first edition. The map was complemented by separate sheets depicting each region. Like Müller's other maps, this one is adorned with rich copperplate engravings as well. The title cartouche in the upper left corner is accompanied by the deities of Pallas Athena and Mars along with Hermes, the messenger of the gods, Diana, the goddess of hunting, and symbols of abundance, wine, fruit, fish, and minerals. The graphic scale in the lower left corner is framed by the images of vineyards, hunting, and sheep breeding.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.738

Homann's edition with division into regions B

A more recent edition of the previous map, already supplemented with printed network coordinates. Some of its later users subsequently drew roads to Jihlava and through Třebíč further into Bohemia. It was probably published at the workshop of Homann's heirs some time around the mid-18th century or perhaps even later.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.737

More exemplars in MZK: STMpa-1208.960

Homann's edition of the map of the Znojmo and Jihlava regions

Map of the Znojmo and Jihlava regions from a series of regional derivatives of Müller's map. As a motif of the parergon surrounding the title cartouche, the dance of satyrs was chosen.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.754

More exemplars in MZK: ST5-0259.432,1,přív.41

Homann's edition of the map of the Brno region (northern part)

The map of the Brno region was printed on two sheets due to the larger area it depicts. In the upper right corner Mercury and Venus carry a title drapery, under which there is the figure of a man personifying the river Svratka, which forms the axis of the region, and Bacchus, who symbolizes the wealth of the local vineyards.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.740

Homann's edition of the map of the Brno region (southern part)

The southern half of a map of the Brno region. In the lower left corner of the image there is a plate with a legend accompanied by the figure of a stonemason, referring to the importance of architecture. In the background behind him we can see the process of ore mining. The right side of the image shows deer hunting.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.743

More exemplars in MZK: ST5-0259.432,1,přív.39

Homann's edition of the map of the Uherské Hradiště region

The main motif of the map of the Uherské Hradiště region is fishing in the river Morava, accompanied by the scene of breaking stone in the title cartouche.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.745

More exemplars in MZK: ST5-0259.432,1,přív.40, STMpa-1208.962

Homann's edition of the map of the Olomouc region (northern part)

The engraver associated the Olomouc region, or at least its northern mountainous area, with hunting. The picture shows the hunting of bear and boar, as well as deer hunting.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.746,1

More exemplars in MZK: STMpa-1208.963, ST5-0259.432,1,přív.36, ST5-0259.432,1,přív.35

Homann's edition of the map of the Olomouc region (southern part)

The southern part of the same map contains a title cartouche with allegorical figural decoration, emphasizing the fertile character of Moravia. The water symbols probably represent some of the Moravian rivers.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.746,1

Homann's edition of the map of the Přerov region (northern part)

The so-called Moravian enclaves - isolated areas scattered in Upper Silesia, also fell under the administration of the Přerov region. Most of them were old manors belonging to the Bishop of Olomouc, from the times when Opava still belonged to Moravia. The main theme of the title cartouche is the watershed of the Morava and Odra rivers, personified here as characters of water men shaking hands.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.751,1

More exemplars in MZK: STMpa-1208.961

Homann's edition of the map of the Přerov region (southern part)

The map of the Přerov region differs from other maps with its depiction of the boundaries of individual estates. The title cartouche is located at the upper edge of the northern part of the map.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.751,2

More exemplars in MZK: ST5-0259.432,1,přív.38, ST5-0259.432,1,přív.37, STMpa-1208.961

Seutter' Edition A

Seutter's map of Moravia created according to Homann's edition some time around 1740 was originally a part of the work Atlas Novus. Different regions are distinguished by the use of colours. Decoration of the copperplate engravings captures equestrian battle scenes.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.734

Seutter' Edition B

Another of Seutter's edition of Müller's map, this time with a more generously conceived title cartouche with symbols of the abundance of field crops and fruit, wine, game, and minerals and with the veduta of Brno as the state's capital city. The map is also accompanied by graticules.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.770

Weigel's Edition

Nuremberg edition by Christoph Weigel. A successful miniature of Homann's edition. This map was also inserted into Adam Friedrich Zürner Kurtz's publication Geographisch Nachricht von dem Marggraffthum Mähren from 1742 (in the Moravská zemská knihovna under the shelfmark ST3-0005.790, the print is supplemented with the numbering "XXXII" above the framework of the map).

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.733

More exemplars in MZK: ST3-0005.790,1

Lidl's Edition

Viennese edition by Johann Jakob Lidl from 1742 based on Müller's small special map. It was probably completed using a conical view, seeing how the parallel lines are placed a little further south compared to Homann's draft, the meridians are shifted by a full degree. The road network has been significantly reduced.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.736

Le Rouge's Edition

The Parisian edition by Georges-Louis Le Rouge from 1742 was created for military purposes and probably in connection with the activities of France during the Wars of the Austrian Succession.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.741

Edition of Covens and Mortier

One of the most successful editions of the Amsterdam based workshop Covens & Mortier from 1742 quite faithfully reproduces the original work, adds place names but also several items in the legend (mills, vineyards). Despite a rather dense description, the map did not loose its clarity and in many ways surpasses Homann's original edition.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.739

Lotters's Edition

Augsburg edition from the year 1758 by Tobias Conrad Lotter originally created for military purposes. In the lower corners a plan of Brno is attached showing a street network and some buildings and a plan of fortifications of Olomouc. Both images are based on Merian's topography. The depiction of mountains is partially based upon Lidl's edition (the area near Šternberk).

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.742

A digital copy is not available

R. J. Julien's Edition

Detailed edition of a general map of the Czech lands, based upon Homan's first edition of Müller's map of Moravia. Printed in Roch-Joseph Julien's workshop in Paris in 1748. Unfortunately, this item has not yet been digitised.

Shelfmark: ST1-0008.112

Zatt's Edition

Reduced Venetian edition by Antonio Zatto from 1779. The publisher resigned on depicting the surrounding countries, the title is accompanied only by a simple parergon which completely abandoned the original late Baroque concept.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.760

Venuto's Edition

Müller's original map was completed in the 1860s with the results of new military measurements. The changed administrative structure was also taken into account. It is this edition dating from 1784, manufactured according to the original by Jan Venuto and engraved by Johann Wenzel Engelmann, that was attached to Franz Joseph Schwoy's Topography of Moravia.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.762

Homann's edition of the map of the Jihlava region

A more recent edition of Müller's map of the Jihlava region. Similar prints for other regions are have not yet been found.

Shelfmark: Moll-0001.767

Second edition of the basic map

Reiser's reprint of the estates map dating from 1790 was, compared to the original, supplemented with network coordinates and a detailed index. A copperplate matrix of this map has been preserved in the Moravský zemský archiv (Moravian Record Office) until today.

Shelfmarks: Moll-0001.779,1, Moll-0001.779,2, Moll-0001.779,3, Moll-0001.779,4

More exemplars in MZK: STMpa-1209.785 (1. část), STMpa-1209.785 (2. část), STMpa-1209.785 (3. část), STMpa-1209.785 (4. část), STMpa-1208.959 (1. část), STMpa-1208.959 (2. část - další části se nedochovaly), CH-0008.598

Index

Index to the second edition of Müller's map.

Shelfmarks: Moll-0001.779,5, Moll-0001.779,6

More exemplars in MZK: STMpa-1209.785 (5. část), STMpa-1209.785 (6. část), CH-0008.598

A digital copy is not available

Stein's Edition (1804)

Stein's edition of Müller's revised map of Moravia dating from 1804 was engraved in Brno in the workshop of F. Reiser and dedicated to the Olomouc Archbishop Anton Theodor Colloredo-Waldsee. Unfortunately, this item has not yet been digitised.

Shelfmark: STMpa-1257.830

A digital copy is not available

Stein's Edition (1809)

Identical reprint of the previous map, this time dating from 1809. The item has not yet been digitised.

Shelfmark: STMpa-1257.843

Bibliography:

Podloucký, Jan: Müllerova mapa Moravy a její deriváty. Brno 1937.

Roubík, František: Soupis map českých zemí 2. Praha 1955.