Enlightened Mapping? Maps in the Europe of the Enlightenment

ABSTRACT

This paper presents an overview of West and Central European mapping between 1650 and 1800. The period was marked by the emergence of distinctive types of mapping, influenced by the spirit of the Enlightenment, particularly its adoption of consciously scientific methods and reliance on direct observation, the acceptance of geography as an academic discipline and a questioning attitude towards previously accepted authority. Such maps were expensive to create and relied on sponsorship by the state and/or academies and, in their published form, on collaboration of both with the map trade. ‘Enlightenment Maps’ are far from being a homogeneous group, however, are of varying quality, and were less prevalent than generally assumed: many traditional types of map continued to be created, published and purchased by an ever-widening public readership.

KEYWORDS:

• Enlightenment
• maps
• surveys
• academies
• map trade
• state

Acknowledgements

I have benefitted from the generous insights of Mary Pedley.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on the contributor

Peter Michael Barber was Head of Maps and Topography at The British Library between 2001 and 2015. He has written and edited popular books on the history of maps as well as scholarly articles and chapters particularly on medieval world maps, maps and monarchs in England over the centuries and the map collections of The British Library.