Frames that Speak: An Introduction to Cartographic Cartouches
An online discussion of the early history and development of cartouches, their sources,
and the symbolism of several remarkable examples.
University of Miami Libraries
Thursday, October 6, 2022, 1:00 PM EDT
Online
Author, historian, and cartographer Chet Van Duzer in conversation with Arthur Dunkelman, Curator, Jay I. Kislak Collection
Many old maps are as much works of art as tools for getting from one place to another, and one of the most engaging artistic embellishments
of these maps are the decorative frames called cartouches, which often surround the map’s title and other details. Cartouches were an important cartographic design element from the 15th to the 19th century and continue to be used on 21st-century maps. Although
they are one of the most visually engaging elements on maps, and despite the fact that it is often through the decoration of the cartouche that the cartographer speaks most directly to the viewer — revealing his or her interests or prejudices — there is no
detailed study of them, no discussion of their earliest history or development, and no attempt to interpret the symbolism of a large number of them together.
Join Chet Van Duzer and Arthur Dunkelman as they discuss the early history and development of cartouches, examine some of their sources,
and explain the symbolism of several remarkable cartouches in detail.
Register
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About Special Collections at the University of Miami Libraries
Special Collections is home to a wide array of rare books, manuscripts, archival collections, photographs and audio-visual items, maps,
architectural drawings, artists’ books, zines, photographic collections, and other research materials that document the history of Florida, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and beyond.
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Arthur Dunkelman
Curator, Jay I. Kislak Collection
Kislak Center
Otto G. Richter Library
University of Miami
1300 Memorial Drive
Coral Gables, Florida 33146