Zbigniew Ponicki

A masterpiece of precision and artistry: Guillaume Henri Dufour’s Topographische Karte der Schweiz (1833–1863). Created at an impressive 1:100,000 scale, this 25-sheet national map set a new standard for scientific cartography in the 19th century. Steel-engraved with extraordinary detail, it uses delicate hachures to sculpt the Alps in three dimensions—capturing Switzerland’s dramatic terrain with remarkable clarity. Centered on the Bern Observatory and produced during a period of rapid technological progress, the map supported military planning, infrastructure, and national unity. See all sheets: davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet…