GeoMAP,  a historical mapping of the Parisian art market

Although a few studies analyze this phenomenon, they are essentially monographic or devoted to a short period. The challenge of the GeoMAP project is to analyze the evolution of the artistic geography of Paris from a global point of view and over time, using methods derived from quantitative art history and digital humanities.

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GeoMAP is based on a historical source, the Almanach Didot Bottin, better known as the Bottin du commerce. This directory presents a classification of Parisian occupations by mentioning their addresses.

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A first set of data was transcribed by Félicie Faizand de Maupeou and Léa Saint-Raymond, and then georeferenced by Julien Cavero: the category of "picture dealers" listed in the Bottin du commerce between 1815 and 1954 (i.e. 2,784 locations). Each entry corresponds to a single dealer, at a given address and for a given date.

To materialize the evolution of Paris (which extends to the Thiers enclosure in 1860), the successive administrative limits can be displayed on the map (12 arrondissements of Paris between 1795 and 1860, 20 arrondissements established on January 1, 1860 and the 80 administrative districts).

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Access to this historical and geographical directory of art market players in Paris has been designed through an interactive map that offers several ways to explore. The map and the website were developed using the Leaflet library and designed in a responsive way in order to be consulted on all screen formats. The site has been hosted since 2017 on the Huma-Num TGRIR.

This online mapping of Parisian "picture dealers" will be completed by those of "chinoiseries and/or japanese dealers".

Team

• Database: Félicie Faizand de Maupeou (Labex Les Passés dans le présent) et Léa Saint-Raymond.
• CCartography and visualization interface : Julien Cavero

Publications 

• Julien Cavero, Félicie Faizand de Maupeou and Léa Saint-Raymond, « Les rues des tableaux : The Geography of the Parisian Art Market 1815-1955 », Artl@s Bulletin 6, 1, 2016.
• Julien Cavero, Félicie Faizand de Maupeou and Léa Saint-Raymond, « Les rues des tableaux. Géographie du marché de l'art parisien (1815-1955) », Artl@s Bulletin 4, 1, 2015.
• Félicie Faizand de Maupeou and Léa Saint-Raymond, « Les “marchands de tableaux” dans le Bottin du commerce : une approche globale du marché de l’art à Paris entre 1815 et 1955 », Artl@s Bulletin 4, 1, 2013.
• Léa Saint-Raymond, « Le marché secondaire de l’art, un “aimant” pour les galeries parisiennes ? », in Denise Vernerey-Laplace et Hélène Ivanoff (dir.), Les artistes et leurs galeries. Paris-Berlin, 1900- 1950. I. Paris, Rouen, Presses Universitaires de Rouen et du Havre, 2019, p. 35-44.
• Recension de GeoMAP, Reviews in Digital Humanities, 2021

Conferences

• Léa Saint-Raymond, "When digital humanities help you see differently: another story of trends and tastes", journée d’études Digital and Humanities, Tokyo University, December 8, 2018.
• Léa Saint-Raymond, "GeoMAP, A digital repository of the Parisian art dealers (1815-1955)", workshop Art Histories and Big Data, Leyde, Lorentz Center / The Getty Research Institute, October 15-18, 2018.
• Léa Saint-Raymond, "Knoedler and Co., a Leader of the Parisian Auction Market", colloque international Art Dealers, America and the International Art Market, 1880-1930, Los Angeles, The Getty Research Intitute, January 18-19, 2018.
• Julien Cavero, Félicie Faizand de Maupeou and Léa Saint-Raymond, « Les “marchands de tableaux” à Paris sous l’Occupation : une analyse quantitative et géographique », workshop Les galeries françaises sous l’Occupation, Paris, Centre allemand d’histoire de l’art, December 5, 2016.