Cassini Map exhibition explores French cartographic history

An exhibition titled ‘La carte de France de Cassini, une encyclopédie du territoire’ offers an in-depth look at the history, design, and distribution of the monumental Cassini map of France. The project, which spanned four generations of the Cassini family at the Paris Observatory, was driven by the French Academy of Sciences to support the economic and diplomatic expansion of the kingdom.

The exhibition highlights the scientific lineage starting with Giovanni Domenico Cassini and concluding with Jean-Dominique Cassini. It examines how the project maintained longevity through the long-term vision of stable political power, the dedication of a cartographic dynasty, and pragmatic adaptations when royal funding became scarce.