This is the full-size edition of Lucien Boucher's spectacularly decorative double-hemisphere world map, commissioned by Air France. The map delineates the airline's flight routes, showcasing destinations all over the world (although notably not in the USSR or China). Two airplanes are shown soaring through the skies, and in the oceans there are ships, a whale, Neptune, and a couple old-fashioned sea monsters. Imagery celebrating the people, wildlife, and cultures of the world surrounds the map. The top and bottom corners at left depict natives of North and South America meeting the Europeans, while the opposite end of the sheet features scenes of Asians (at top) and Africans (at bottom). Between the hemispheres, there is an ornate compass rose (at top) and an inset zooming in on the flight routes available in western Europe (at bottom). Behind the title banner, there are monuments from some of the great cities of Europe.

Lucien Boucher (1889-1971) was a French commercial artist inspired by the Surrealists. He found regular work designing movie posters and other advertisements, but he is best known for his series of posters for Air France.

References: Rumsey #8538.

Condition: A

A bright example with minor soiling and creasing along the edges of the sheet.