Complete Map of Siberia (西伯利亞全圖)
Cartographer / Artist: Unknown Japanese Cartographer
Date Created: c. 1895
Medium: Lithograph on paper
Physical Dimensions: 7.8 × 6.1 in
Geographic Scope: Siberia, Russia
Archive Catalog ID: fp10-img-2287
Provenance: The Dr. Joseph R. Rubini Archive
Collection: Edo & Meiji Japan: Cartography & Early Photography
This late 19th-century Japanese map depicts Siberia and Northern Asia, titled '西伯利亞全圖' (Complete Map of Siberia). The cartography encompasses the Russian Empire's eastern and northern Asian territories, extending from European Russia and Central Asia across to the Pacific Ocean, Sakhalin, and the Sea of Japan. Topographical features are rendered using hachuring, showing extensive mountain chains alongside major river systems such as the Lena, Yenisey, and Ob. Place names throughout the map are printed in traditional Chinese characters (kanji) with Japanese Katakana phonetic transcriptions for major settlements and regions including Yakutsk, Irkutsk, Vladivostok, and Kamchatka. Graticule lines indicate latitude and longitude, extending toward the Arctic Ocean ('北冰洋'). The map reflects Meiji-era Japanese geopolitical focus and geographical study of the Asian continent during the late 19th century.
Condition: Light paper toning consistent with late 19th-century newsprint or map stock.. Clear, dark impression with clean line work and legible typography.. Trimmed along outer borders as shown adjacent to ruler.




