Collection: Johnston

Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) was a prominent Scottish geographer and cartographer, best known for his meticulously detailed and accurate maps. Born in Kirkhill, Scotland, Johnston honed his skills at the renowned Scottish cartographic firm W. & A.K. Johnston, co-founded with his brother William. Johnston's dedication to accuracy, scale, and detail led to his appointment as Geographer Royal for Scotland, where his work contributed significantly to the field of geographical science. He produced a range of atlases, school geographies, and wall maps, with "The National Atlas of Historical, Commercial, and Political Geography" and "The Royal Atlas of Modern Geography" among his most significant works. Johnston's maps were not just tools for navigation but also works of art, celebrated for their combination of precise geography with elegant engraving and coloring. Despite his untimely death during a geographical congress in 1871, Alexander Keith Johnston's legacy continues to influence the world of cartography and geographical understanding.