From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for cent...
S2 Ep3: Riches and Rivalries: the Evolution of European Cartography with Matthew Edney
Matthew Edney, Osher Professor at the University of Maine and Director of the History of Cartography project, takes Jerry to 16th century Amsterdam, where silver from the New World is flowing copiously, and maps have been elevated from the scientific designs to sumptuous works of art.
Joan Blaeu’s vibrant 1662 world map shows the world in twin hemispheres, surrounded by celestial Roman gods, the four seasons, beasts and birds. It is the centrepiece of his family’s master work: the Atlas Maior, or Grand Atlas. Comprising 11 or 12 volumes, over 4,600 pages and 594 maps, this atlas illustrates the high point of Dutch cartographic publishing.
But what motivated the Blaeu family to make such an atlas? Who were their competitors? And why do people make maps at all? Matthew and Jerry discuss this evolution of European cartography in the early Modern period, against the backdrop of the ‘discovery’ of the New World, and the sheer consumerism that came with it.
Matthew also touches on the different theories around map-making in contemporary times; and why cartography “needs to die”. We hear about his work as the director and co-editor of The History of Cartography Project, and the lack of diversity in the field of cartography.
To see a high-definition image of the map as it is discussed, go to: www.oculi-mundi.com/podcast
Assistant Producer: Daniel Pearce
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From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it. If you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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30:47
S2 Ep2: Lines that Divide: the Melancholy of Colonial Mapping with Sathnam Sanghera
Jerry meets journalist and best-selling author Sathnam Sanghera, to discuss the impact of a single line on a map.
Splitting families, communities, and religions, and leading to horrific loss of life and displacement, the Partition of India in 1947 sent shockwaves through Southeast Asia and has been described as the “central historic event” in the region’s recent history.
Sathnam examines a map of the Partition from the UK National Archives, drawn in 1948. He and Jerry discuss the impact on identity, religion and the freedom to travel, among other aspects of daily life that changed forever for millions of people - including Sathnam’s Sikh family. They also reflect on what the map does not show, such as the nuances of communities and belief systems, flowing under the borders that it imposes.
To see a high-definition image of the map as it is discussed, go to: www.oculi-mundi.com/podcast
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From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it. If you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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31:49
S2 Ep1: Wherefore the Map? with Ed Parsons
In this episode, Ed Parsons, digital geographer and geospatial wizard at Google, traces the history of digital mapping. He leads Jerry from its roots in Gerard Mercator’s iconic map projection, to the Google Maps we use today – and beyond….
Ed’s chosen map is the “Christian Knight” map, produced in Amsterdam by Jodocus Hondius in 1597. It is the first map to use Mercator’s projection after his death. The projection was hugely influential because it changed the way maps were drawn - but the Christian Knight map is also significant for another reason: it is a great example of maps that were created as propaganda.
Together, Ed and Jerry tease out why maps are made, and what purposes they serve. Who is each map meant for, and what does that mean? A Protestant map in 16th century Europe could be a rallying cry for a monarch; and a digital road map in the 20th century could transform how journeys are conceived of, and taken. But will maps always be needed – and are humans always the target audience? Tune in to find out!
And to see a high-definition image of the map as it is discussed, go to: www.oculi-mundi.com/podcast
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton as each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it. So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
Why not continue your exploration of the wonderful world of maps by subscribing? That way you’ll never miss an episode.
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31:58
Season 2 launching January 29th!
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton, as in each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
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S1 Ep6: Vintage Cartography: Mapping the World of Wine with Jane Anson
Jerry is joined by self-confessed map geek and wine expert Jane Anson, to talk about the remarkable maps that she created for her book ‘Inside Bordeaux’.
Jane travelled the world as a journalist before moving to Bordeaux over twenty years ago. A passionate connoisseur of French wines, she is a writer, critic, and tutor.
In this episode, Jane unfurls a beautiful map of the chateaux and terroir of the Central Médoc region. Uniquely, it shows both what lies beneath and above the ground. She explains to Jerry the fascinating creative process behind the map, along with the secrets that it unlocks about the taste, history, and prices of local wines.
To view the map as it is discussed, go to: https://oculi-mundi.com/podcast
In What’s Your Map? we speak to people who live, love and work with maps - making, preserving, interpreting, and being inspired by them. In each episode, we ask our guests to unfold a map that is special to them and to tell us the story that lies behind it.
Jerry Brotton is a British historian with a specialist interest in cartography. He is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary University of London and is a regular on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 3.
Jane is the author of the beautiful book Inside Bordeaux, where she draws on recent – and groundbreaking – research carried out by experts at the University of Bordeaux to profile the terroir of key châteaux and appellations. To purchase a high-definition version of the map discussed today and her book, go to her website: https://janeanson.com/
What’s Your Map? is a Whistledown Production and is produced by Emily Uchida Finch
Instagram: @oculimundimaps
Website: https://oculi-mundi.com/
From historians, scientists and writers to creatives and cultural custodians, people have used maps as a source of knowledge, guidance, and inspiration for centuries.
Join award-winning expert Professor Jerry Brotton, as in each episode he invites a guest to share a map close to their heart - and unfurl the ideas, inspirations, and stories behind it.
So if you’re fascinated by history, art, adventure and culture, why not become part of a global community of fellow explorers as we ask - What’s your map?
What’s Your Map? is brought to you by Oculi Mundi (‘eyes of the world’), the online home of The Sunderland Collection of antique maps and atlases. For a fully immersive experience, visit http://www.Oculi-Mundi.com/podcast to explore each of the maps as you listen.
Ireland