yellow-orange album cover with scroll cutout, edged in gold leaf, beneath outer cover; 11 folded leaves with yellow silk on exterior, each with a gilt vertical strip of paper with black characters; map inside each leaf, with labeled mountains, buildings, roads and fortresses

Maps of Eleven Prefectural Cities in Zhejiang Province, early 19th century

Unknown artist, Chinaexpand_more

Ink and color on silkexpand_more

The C. Curtis Dunnavan Fundexpand_more  2014.15a-l

Not on Viewexpand_more

Map making has a long history in China. There are two parallel traditions of Chinese cartography: one mathematical, the other descriptive. The mathematical form is concerned with measurement and is therefore considered a science; the descriptive form is focused on depiction with less concern for accuracy. The maps in this set, of 11 prefectural cities in Zhejiang province, are examples of descriptive cartography. In representing hills, rivers, and buildings, the mapmakers rendered the topography in a manner suggestive of landscape painting. But, unlike in that art form, here these elements are labeled.

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Details
Title
Maps of Eleven Prefectural Cities in Zhejiang Province
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2014.15a-l
Curator Approved

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yellow-orange album cover with scroll cutout, edged in gold leaf, beneath outer cover; 11 folded leaves with yellow silk on exterior, each with a gilt vertical strip of paper with black characters; map inside each leaf, with labeled mountains, buildings, roads and fortresses

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