British conquest of New Amsterdam leads to creation of pictorial map of New York, with Wall Street's future location visible as a wall on the settlement's northern side. This map was made by an unidentified artist.
New York City's rich history is beautifully captured through its pictorial maps, which have played a significant role in representing the social and cultural evolution of the city. An exhibition at the New York Public Library, curated by Katharine Harmon, author of "You Are Here: NYC", showcases these intriguing maps spanning four centuries.
The exhibition includes maps like Arthur Zaidenberg's 1938 "Downtown District of Manhattan" and Tony Millionaire's "The Queens Jazz Trail" from 1998. One of the earliest known pictorial maps, dated before the British renamed New York in 1664, depicts Manhattan Island covered in gardens with buildings and British Man-of-war ships in the surrounding waterways.
Pictorial maps offer more than just geographic detail. They serve as cultural artifacts, showcasing social scenes, architecture, and ethnic neighborhoods. For instance, an 1856 panoramic illustrated map by C. Parsons features bustling Battery Park and Brooklyn Heights, delineating buildings, shipping traffic, and various iconic locations. Such maps captured not only the physical layout but also social activity and economic hubs, representing the city's vibrant maritime and commercial life.
By the turn of the 20th century, pictorial maps portrayed a rapidly expanding metropolis. A 1900 aerial view of Manhattan illustrated detailed buildings, streets, and piers, highlighting Manhattan’s growth, the filling in of shorelines, and its connection to other boroughs by infrastructure such as the Brooklyn Bridge.
In more recent times, pictorial maps have continued to serve as artistic and cultural expressions, sometimes adopting playful or stylized approaches inspired by artists like Saul Steinberg to evoke the character and imagination of New York.
The New York Public Library, which boasts one of the largest collections of New York City maps in the world, with around half a million maps, is a treasure trove for collectors and researchers. The library's cartography collection includes maps like "In the Heart of Harlem, USA", created by Bernie Robynson and Langston Hughes in 1953.
Ian Fowler, Map Curator and Geospatial Librarian at The New York Public Library, explains that pictorial maps offer more leeway and freedom for mapmakers to express their view of the city. Unlike traditional maps, pictorial maps do not necessarily adhere to rules of cartography or geography.
This exhibition provides a unique lens on New York's history that combines geography, architecture, social activity, and cultural identity. For those interested in the social and cultural history of a place, pictorial maps often offer a revealing view of a place at a particular point in its cultural history.
Authors Betsy Mason and Greg Miller, who are working on an upcoming illustrated book about maps, suggest that New York City offers complete cartographic liberty, inspiring a variety of maps. The authors maintain a blog on Twitter and Instagram for their forthcoming book.
In summary, pictorial maps of New York City are historically significant for their rich blend of cartographic detail and cultural representation, documenting changes in the city’s social fabric, urban development, and daily life from the 19th century through today.
- The illustrated maps in the New York Public Library's exhibition, including works like Tony Millionaire's "The Queens Jazz Trail," serve as reminders of how the city's lifestyle and cultural identity have evolved throughout history.
- The cartography collection at the New York Public Library, encompassing maps such as Bernie Robynson and Langston Hughes' "In the Heart of Harlem, USA," offers precious insights into home-and-garden life and ethnic neighborhoods of New York City's past, as well as its vibrant social activities and economic hubs.
