Robin has discovered a wonderful on-line collection of maps of Japan.
The Japanese Historical Map Collection contains about 2,300 early maps of Japan and the World. The collection was acquired by the University of California from the Mitsui family in 1949 and is housed on the Berkeley campus in the East Asian Library.
http://www.davidrumsey.com/japan/
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Monday, 18 October 2010
Embroiderers Guild's maps
On Sunday October 17 we visited the Embroiderers Guild of NSW in Concord.
They have two framed, embroidered maps that were worked within seven years of each other. The older, worked in 1798 is of the counties of England and Wales. It is worked in silk and wool on very closely woven (?) linen cloth. The ink that was used to draw the map and write the names of the counties and their principal towns seems to have contained some kind of bleach.
We thought that the writing was printed until we looked at it with a strong magnifying glass and found that it was finely embroidered in black silk. The counties are outlined in coarser woollen yarn in larger, clumsier stitches. Perhaps it was a joint effort of governess and pupil.
The second map is worked on a more open weave linen cloth. It is a map of Europe
with the capital cities noted (although sometimes not positioned accurately.) The countries are outlined with several rows of coloured, cross worked silks. The countries names sometimes have a larger first letter with colour added to the black silk. These are generally 2 over 2 cross stitches but the smaller wording is worked in one over one.
Some of the names of the countries were a surprise: like Candia for Cyprus.
They have two framed, embroidered maps that were worked within seven years of each other. The older, worked in 1798 is of the counties of England and Wales. It is worked in silk and wool on very closely woven (?) linen cloth. The ink that was used to draw the map and write the names of the counties and their principal towns seems to have contained some kind of bleach.
We thought that the writing was printed until we looked at it with a strong magnifying glass and found that it was finely embroidered in black silk. The counties are outlined in coarser woollen yarn in larger, clumsier stitches. Perhaps it was a joint effort of governess and pupil.
The second map is worked on a more open weave linen cloth. It is a map of Europe
with the capital cities noted (although sometimes not positioned accurately.) The countries are outlined with several rows of coloured, cross worked silks. The countries names sometimes have a larger first letter with colour added to the black silk. These are generally 2 over 2 cross stitches but the smaller wording is worked in one over one.Some of the names of the countries were a surprise: like Candia for Cyprus.
Friday, 1 October 2010
The west and the map of the world
The ABC's Artworks broadcast a feature about maps and the politics implicit in them. It is available as a podcast and worth listening to.
"Maps haven't always told us where to go. Often they've told us what to think -- about ourselves and about other people. Early maps were powerful documents not because they were accurate -- mostly they weren't -- but because they reflected the politics and ideologies of the world of the map-maker."
"Maps haven't always told us where to go. Often they've told us what to think -- about ourselves and about other people. Early maps were powerful documents not because they were accurate -- mostly they weren't -- but because they reflected the politics and ideologies of the world of the map-maker."
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