Berghaus' Physikalischer Atlas, First Edition

Berghaus' Physikalischer Atlas is a groundbreaking work, recognized as the first thematic atlas—an atlas exclusively composed of thematic maps—ever published. This monumental achievement was a collaborative effort by Heinrich Berghaus, Adolf Stieler, and the Justus Perthes publishing house, inspired by an idea from Alexander von Humboldt. The atlas drew heavily on the vast scientific data Humboldt gathered during his explorations.

The credit mostly belongs to Heinrich Berghaus, who dedicated 16 years to meticulously designing the maps. His cartographic brilliance and commitment produced an extraordinary work that remained unmatched for five decades until a completely new edition, albeit largely based on the data from the first edition, was published in 1892 by his nephew, Hermann Berghaus.

As was typical of large atlases in the 19th century, the Physikalischer Atlas was released in installments—individual parts containing several maps—over an 11-year span from 1837 to 1848. In total, 12 installments were issued, comprising 90 maps and two plates of statistical charts. Although the original plan was to publish the atlas in two volumes (hence this copy contains 2 title pages) and 60 maps, individual owners often had their copies privately bound, sometimes as a single volume.

The atlas is organised into eight thematic sections, which were later also issued in six separate volumes with decorative covers:

1. Meteorology and Climatography
2. Geology
3. Hydrology and Hydrography
4. Earth's Magnetism
5. Botanical Geography
6. Geography of Animals
7. Anthropography
8. Ethnography

The arrangement of maps in this particular copy reflects the sequence in which the installments were originally published. Since maps in the installments were released as they were completed rather than in the intended final order, the organization of the maps may appear somewhat chaotic. The title page for the proposed first volume bears the publication year 1845, marking the year the maps intended for that volume were finalized, although the maps themselves date from 1837 to 1845. Meanwhile, the title page for the second volume is dated 1848.

The revised edition of 1852, published as two volumes with 93 maps, introduced a more systematic order and luxurious in-house binding which visually resembled the Stieler's Handatlas. Before this, no standardised binding existed; owners who acquired the installments had to arrange their binding independently.

The Physikalischer Atlas remains an extraordinary feat of 19th-century cartography. Its extensive, scientifically rigorous, and artistically exquisite maps demonstrate a dedication to understanding and representing the world. It stands as a timeless testament to the spirit of exploration, scientific inquiry, and cartographic excellence of that era.