Illustrated Geographical Atlas of the Kingdom of Poland

In 1907, a beautifully published atlas of the Kingdom of Poland was published in Warsaw. It had a spectacular cover made of red canvas with gilded ornamentation and colourful pages with illustrations and descriptions. The author was Józef Michał Bazewicz, a very imaginative and hard-working man. At first, he worked as a bookseller, then as a publisher specialising in maps and atlases, which he himself prepared.

The atlas contains a map of a given county, around which colourful illustrations have been placed. The author has shown on them the greatest cultural and natural wealth. Most often these are: historical monuments, folk costumes, shepherd scenes, natural treasures, qualities of the landscape. This richly illustrated atlas is not only a documentation of the diversity of the Polish lands. By depicting the culture of a nation that had been partitioned for many years, it was intended to arouse Poles' pride and build their identity. As the author writes, the aim of the publication was to acquaint the reader with his own country and its monuments, with the traces of past glory. He wanted the atlas to be in every Polish home and serve all compatriots, so that Poles would know not only their nearest neighbourhood, but the whole beautiful country and not be jealous of their neighbours' beautiful mountains or lakes, because the Polish land is rich in nature and culture.

The atlas is a testimony to Bazewicz's love of his homeland and its keepsakes, as well as to his patriotic attitude and concern for the education of Polish society.