{"product_id":"old-decorative-map-of-the-mughal-empire-by-clouet-1787-delhi-calcutta-ganges-indus-grand-trunk-rd-bombay","title":"Old Map of the Mughal Empire by Clouet, 1787: Delhi, Calcutta, Ganges–Indus, Grand Trunk Rd, Bombay","description":"\u003cp\u003eAbbot Jean Baptiste Louis Clouet’s Empire du Mogol, dated 1787, is a masterwork of Enlightenment cartography that marries historical insight with decorative elegance. As Royal Geographer to the Academy of Sciences in Rouen and author of the acclaimed Geographie Moderne, Clouet renders the Mughal realm with an ornate title cartouche and a palette of vibrant, color-coded regions that immediately command attention. The map encompasses the Indian subcontinent—today’s India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan—at a pivotal moment, when South Asia was both a crucible of power and a fulcrum of global trade. Meticulous French annotations, clear boundary lines, and a lattice of travel and trade paths invite the viewer into a richly layered portrait of an empire whose influence radiated far beyond its frontiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGeography is the map’s narrative spine. The Ganges and Indus Rivers unfurl like twin arteries, anchoring the agricultural and commercial heartlands from Bengal’s fertile delta to the plains of Punjab and Sindh. Mountain chains, including the Himalayan ramparts framing Kashmir and the northern marches, are crisply modeled, while carefully drawn coastlines along the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal emphasize maritime gateways. Notable cities are elegantly symbolized: Delhi and Agra in the imperial core; Lahore and Multan on the overland corridors; Calcutta, Dacca, and Chittagong in the east; Bombay, Surat, and Madras on the coasts; and Hyderabad, Benares, Patna, Jaipur, Kanpur, and others forming a constellation of political and mercantile centers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClouet’s color demarcations evoke the Mughal subahs and principal territories, giving form to a political landscape in flux. In 1787, the empire’s authority was waning even as its administrative contours still shaped regional identities—from Kashmir and Sindh to the vast province of Bengal. The map captures this tension: Delhi remains the emblematic seat, yet Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras signal the rising power of European companies, while Hyderabad and Jaipur reflect resilient regional polities. By organizing space through lucid boundaries and captions, Clouet offers a coherent vision of imperial geography at a time of contestation, preserving for European audiences the schema of Mughal governance amid shifting alliances, taxation systems, and competing sovereignties.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEqually compelling are the threads of commerce and movement stitched across the sheet. Indicated trade routes and travel paths shadow the famed Grand Trunk corridor linking Lahore, Delhi, Benares, Patna, and onward to the Bengal ports, while caravan lines through Multan and Sindh suggest overland exchanges with Central Asia. Maritime circuits tie Surat and Bombay to the Arabian Sea and Calcutta, Dacca, and Chittagong to the Bay of Bengal, echoing flows of textiles, fine muslins, indigo, saltpeter, and bullion. The presence of neighboring regions—Tibet and Tartary—situates the subcontinent within a wider Eurasian web, underscoring how Mughal markets and roads channeled ideas, people, and commodities across formidable frontiers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs art, the map is quintessentially late 18th-century French: a sumptuous cartouche, refined color washes, and crisply engraved typography serve an unmistakably scholarly purpose. Clouet’s design sense—shaped by the decorative tradition of Jean-Baptiste Nolin—never obscures function; symbols for cities and fortresses, careful toponyms, and erudite notes create a document at once beautiful and didactic. For historians, it records contemporary European understandings of South Asia’s political anatomy and commercial lifelines; for collectors, it offers a luminous window onto an empire that fascinated the Enlightenment. Empire du Mogol stands as both a historical witness and a conversation piece, where science, artistry, and global history converge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlaces on this map\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDelhi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAgra\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLahore\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCalcutta (Kolkata)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMumbai (Bombay)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHyderabad\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBenares (Varanasi)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSurat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMadras (Chennai)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDacca (Dhaka)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePatna\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChittagong\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJaipur\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMultan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKashmir\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSindh\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBengal\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKanpur\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGanges River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndus River\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNotable Features \u0026amp; Landmarks\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrnate cartouche with the title \"Empire du Mogol\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eColor-coded regions representing different territories and provinces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGeographical features such as rivers, mountains, and coastlines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNotable cities marked with specific symbols\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBoundaries of the Mughal Empire as delineated by colored lines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIndications of trade routes and travel paths\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe inclusion of neighboring regions, like Tibet and Tartary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eText annotations detailing areas and providing historical context\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistorical and design context\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eName of the map: Empire du Mogol\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMapmaker: Abbot Jean Baptiste Louis Clouet (c. 1730–1790), Royal Geographer for the Academy of Sciences in Rouen\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDate of creation: 1787\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBackground: Notable for the multi-volume Geographie Moderne (1776–1793)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBackground: Specialized in decorative wall maps for homes in Paris and Spain; influenced by Jean-Baptiste Nolin\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTopics\/Themes: Reflects the Mughal Empire’s geographic and cultural intricacies and its role as a key trade and power center\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCountries\/Regions: Depicts the Indian subcontinent, including parts of modern India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDesign\/Style: Ornate cartography and detailed topographical features typical of late 18th-century mapping\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHistorical significance: Demonstrates Clouet’s artistic and cartographic talent and offers insight into mapping practices of the era within the Mughal context\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease double check the images to make sure that a specific town or place is shown on this map. You can also get in touch and ask us to check the map for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks great at every size, but I always recommend going for a larger size if you have space. That way you can easily make out all of the details. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eget in touch\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThis map is wider than most maps, which would make it a perfect statement piece above a mantelpiece, sofa or desk.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe fifth listing image shows an example of my map personalisation service.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you’re looking for something slightly different, check out my collection of the \u003ca href=\"\/de\/collections\/all-old-vintage-antique-maps\"\u003ebest old maps\u003c\/a\u003e to see if something else catches your eye.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlease \u003ca href=\"\/de\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact me\u003c\/a\u003e to check if a certain location, landmark or feature is shown on this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis would make a wonderful birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, work leaving, anniversary or housewarming gift for someone from the areas covered by this map.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis map is available as a giclée print on acid free archival matte paper, or you can buy it framed. The frame is a nice, simple black frame that suits most aesthetics. Please get in touch if you'd like a different frame colour or material. My frames are glazed with super-clear museum-grade acrylic (perspex\/acrylite), which is significantly less reflective than glass, safer, and will always arrive in perfect condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073423232,"sku":"UM00275633A","price":41.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073456000,"sku":"UM00275634A","price":111.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x18in (30x45cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073488768,"sku":"UM00275635A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073521536,"sku":"UM00275636A","price":77.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073554304,"sku":"UM00275637A","price":169.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"14x24in (36x60cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073587072,"sku":"UM00275638A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073619840,"sku":"UM00275639A","price":93.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073652608,"sku":"UM00275640A","price":254.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"24x36in (60x90cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073685376,"sku":"UM00275641A","price":286.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073718144,"sku":"UM00275642A","price":121.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073750912,"sku":"UM00275643A","price":498.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"28x45in (70x114cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073783680,"sku":"UM00275644A","price":498.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073816448,"sku":"UM00275645A","price":222.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073849216,"sku":"UM00275646A","price":927.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"31x50in (79x127cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073881984,"sku":"UM00275647A","price":800.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988073914752,"sku":"UM00275648A","price":296.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988073947520,"sku":"UM00275649A","price":1484.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"33x60in (84x150cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988073980288,"sku":"UM00275650A","price":1378.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Map","offer_id":57988074013056,"sku":"UM00275651A","price":487.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Framed map","offer_id":57988074045824,"sku":"UM00275652A","price":1988.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"44x70in (112x178cm) \/ Framed canvas map","offer_id":57988074078592,"sku":"UM00275653A","price":1855.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_83ca3b97-05ee-48ba-bd1d-3df2e4dc7b6c.jpg?v=1777383404","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.eu\/de\/products\/old-decorative-map-of-the-mughal-empire-by-clouet-1787-delhi-calcutta-ganges-indus-grand-trunk-rd-bombay","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}