Brussels International
Map Collectors' Circle
By David Buisseret. Oxford: Oxford University Press 2003, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK, 2003. - 227 pages with 83 figures and 12 colour plates of maps. Carton binding, 16 x 24 cm; EUR 32.00. ISBN 0-19-210053-X
David Buisseret is professor of History at the University of Texas and formerly director of the Smith Centre for the History of Cartography. In his latest book The Mapmaker's Quest
, he takes as a starting point the question why there were so few maps in Europe in 1400 and so many by 1650. This elegantly written book explores the reasons for this and its implications for European history. It examines how mapping and military technology advanced in tandem, how modern states' territories were mapped and borders drawn up, the role of maps in shaping the urban environment, and cartography's links to the new sciences.
In 1400, Europe lagged behind large parts of the world in its understanding of the use of maps. For instance, the people of China and of Japan were considerably more advanced in this respect. Yet, by 1600 the Europeans had come to use maps for a huge variety of tasks, and were far ahead of the rest of the world in their appreciation of the power and uses of cartography. This work seeks to understand this development — not only to spell out the strands of thought and practice which led to the use of maps, but also to assess the ways in which such use affected European societies and economies.
In the first chapter of this beautifully illustrated work, David Buisseret examines the influence of ancient Greece and Rome upon the mapmakers of early modern Europe. Not only the impact of Claudius Ptolemy's (AD 87-150) Geographia
on 15th and 16th century European mapmakers is discussed here, but also the influence of classical texts involving mapmaking. For the rediscovery of Herodotus and Strabo by Renaissance readers also led to a keen interest in mapping the material remains of classical monuments, which proves even more that this new-found enthusiasm for Greek and Latin antiquity had widespread consequences for cartography.
The author continues to explore how the major stylistic changes in western European art between 1400 and 1500 can also be applied to the production of maps, a subject often neglected in the history of cartography. However, chapter two proves that the innovating style of depiction of the real world by famous painters as the Limbourgs and the Van Eyck brothers can be related to a newly cartographic way of seeing the world. The painting of actual places instead of fictitious ones by painters as Pieter Bruegel the Elder (circa 1525-1569) also contributed to a new, more scientific way to depict the world. Therefore, Buisseret states that the combination of science and art that is found in the work of Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) and Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) can be considered as the first step of cartography towards an actual science and away from being just another art form.
In chapter three , the increasing acknowledgement of the importance of cartography among the ruling European elites of 1450-1650 is exemplified. Namely this growing map-consciousness, which started among Italian rulers (the Papacy, Venetian Republic, Kingdom of Naples, Duchy of Florence) and spread throughout Europe, enabled rulers to govern more effectively their properties. Examples to prove this are the extensive map collection of the Vatican Library and the use of maps in Charles V (ruled 1519-1556) civil administration. Furthermore, the testimonies of the positive attitude towards maps of several European leaders of the 15th and 16th century can be found in their interest in cartographic libraries, map-galleries and surveys of their territories.
The subject of mapping during the expansion of Europe in the 15th - 18th centuries is covered in the same eloquent style. In this largest chapter of the book, it is shown that the discovery of the New World not only coincides with extensive mapmaking of newly found land, but also with the introduction of new techniques (use of latitudes and longitudes combined with accurate mapping like in coastline delineation) and the establishment of centralized cartographical institutions. The different approach to delineate the world between the Iberians (Portugal, Spain) and the other seafaring countries like England and Holland are highlighted here, but Buisseret's latest work also emphasises that at the end of the 18th century all European powers saw maps as an important element in the seizure and settlement of the wider world.
Europe also encountered a Military Revolution during this time period, in which the growth of armies in size and the emergence of artillery and fortified towns gave rise to large-scale topographical mapping for military purposes. This book clearly describes the influence of these evolutions for general mapmaking (e.g. the Ordnance Survey in England) and town planning. Much of the same connection between historical developments and cartography can be seen in the mapping of the countryside and towns in the new economies during 1570-1800. At the end of the book, the sudden proliferation of estate maps, town plans and city views (e.g. Braun and Hogenberg's Civitates Orbis Terrarum
(1572-1617)) is adequately explained as a response to the expansion of rural and urban economic structures in western Europe.
This reasonably priced book is a nice acquisition to anyone interested in the history of early modern European cartography. It extensively covers the different aspects of history which led to the establishment of mapmaking as an indispensable tool for European monarchs, armies, traders and governments. Although sometimes a bit academic, it also shows the differences between the European countries in the way they responded to the major scientific, artistic and political changes that occurred during the Renaissance era. Due to the nature of the subject, mainly manuscript maps are covered which makes the book maybe a bit less interesting for map collectors pure sang. However, David Buisseret shows us with such a large sense of authority how maps fit into a wider picture, that every map lover can enjoy The Mapmaker's Quest.
by Glenn Van den Bosch