AOF Circa 1950

The circa 1950 original map poster by G. Carriat Rolant for AOF (Afrique Occidentale Française) is a notable example of mid-20th-century cartographic art and colonial-era representation. Numbered 584 out of 1000, this limited-edition piece was edited by Paul Bory in Casablanca, showcasing the unique blend of artistic and geopolitical influences of the time.

During this period, French West Africa (AOF) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa. Posters and maps like this one served both practical and propagandistic purposes, promoting the French colonial presence and the supposed benefits of the empire. The map likely emphasized the vast expanse of the AOF, which included present-day countries such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, and Ivory Coast, among others.

G. Carriat Rolant’s work is indicative of the stylistic approach to mapmaking at the time, combining artistic detail with geographic precision. These maps were not just tools for navigation but also symbols of authority, often commissioned to reflect the grandeur and reach of colonial empires.

Edited by Paul Bory in Casablanca, this map poster would have been part of a series aimed at an audience interested in the geopolitics of Africa and the French colonial enterprise. The fact that it was a numbered edition adds to its rarity and historical significance, making it a collector’s item today. It is a reflection of the mid-century fascination with exploration and control, capturing a moment in history when maps were powerful symbols of territorial ambition.

Map - Africa

Numbered 584/1000

Paul Bory Casablanca

Good condition, small tears on the edges