ABSTRACT

Maps became increasingly affordable in England between the mid-seventeenth and mid-eighteenth centuries. A survey of inventories made for probate or compiled privately, personal library catalogues and atlas subscription lists shows that maps were owned by people from different levels of society and that, irrespective of status, the maps served two principal purposes: decoration and instruction. Mapmakers and sellers were aware of these interests and worded their advertisements accordingly, emphasizing the ornamental and intellectually ‘useful’ qualities of their maps. For their owners, the maps were usually deeply personal possessions. The different types of maps owned, and the ways they were used, tended to reflect an important aspect of the owners’ identity, such as their travels, profession, family history and attachment to a particular place.

摘要

在17世纪中叶和18世纪中叶之间，英格兰的地图变得越来越便宜。一项针对遗嘱认证或私下编制的清单的调查，个人图书馆目录和地图集订阅列表显示，地图归社会各阶层人士所有，而不论其地位如何，这些地图均具有两个主要目的：装饰和说明。地图制作者和销售者都意识到了这些兴趣，并相应地在广告中写了字，强调了地图的装饰性和智力上的“有用”品质。对于它们的所有者来说，这些地图通常是深深的个人财产。所拥有的不同类型的地图及其使用方式倾向于反映所有者身份的重要方面，例如他们的旅行，职业，家族历史以及对特定地点的依恋。