JohnTallis is considered to be one of the most renowned cartographers andpublisher of the C19th .Hismaps are considered to be the last of the lavishly decorated andornamental maps, works of art as much of geography. He was born in Stourbridge in Worcestershire in about 1818 and it is possible he stayed working in the Midlands working as a publisher in Birmingham, until he moved to London in the early 1840’s. John then set up the first of his publishing businesses, in Crippl...egate, with Frederick Tallis, who was quite possibly his brother. This business lasted from 1842 to 1849 when it was dissolved. By 1846 the business had moved to Smithfield. From 1851 – 54, John set up another business, operating as John Tallis and Company and it was during this period that he produced the Illustrated World Atlas, produced for the 1851 Great Exhibition. Theintriguing thing is, that at some point, John Tallis made theacquaintance of an engraver called John Rapkin who was an inspirationto Tallis. His stunning illustrations enabled the maps they producedto be beautiful illumanitive works of art.JohnRapkin’s work inspired John Tallis and they used traveloguesextensively to guide John Rapkin as he produced vignettes andornamental engravings to embelish the Tallis maps.Themaps were surprisingly uncoloured, although when sold colourists werefrequently employed to add tints to themEngraving measures approx 25 cm x 32 cmReady for Framing