Departement de Loir et Cher.

Title

Departement de Loir et Cher.

Description

Decorative hand-colored map showing the Province Cente with the city of Blois on the Loire River. The magnificent border depicts the country and its people, with a map index on the left and right and a coat of arms in the upper right corner.

ca. 1850

Artist

Lemercier / Levasseur (1838-1875)

Huge Parisian firm of lithographic printers founded by Joseph Rose Lemercier (1803-1887), who began as the foreman for Langlumé in 1825. Working on his own account from 1827, 1829-36 in partnership with Bénard association formed in 1837 according to IFF catalogue for Joseph Lemercier. The firm was still active in 1841.

Historical Description

Centre (today called Centre-Val de Loire) is a historical region in the center of France along the Loire River. It consists of several departments, including Loiret, Indre-et-Loire, and Cher, and is especially known for its numerous castles. In the Middle Ages, the region played an important role in French history. The city of Orléans became famous during the Hundred Years’ War. In 1429, the French national heroine Joan of Arc succeeded in freeing the city from the English siege. During the Renaissance, the Loire Valley became a center of culture and royal power. French kings built many magnificent castles there, including the famous Château de Chambord. Because of this, the region is often called the “Garden of France.” Today, Centre-Val de Loire is particularly known for its historic cities, its castles, and the cultural landscape of the Loire Valley.