How does one become an 'armchair mapmaker'? The example of Jean-Baptiste d'Anville (1697-1782)
ISBN 978-85-88783-11-9
Authors
1Haguet, L.
1ROUEN LIBRARY Email: lucile.haguet@rouen.fr
Abstract
It's easy to picture yourself how crucial it was to explore territories for the mapmaking. It's probably less easy to understand what was the function of an "armchair mapmaker' (géographe de cabinet) in the process of making a map. This man, sitting on his desk, was apparently playing a keyrole. But why ? And how ? You are not the only one to ask the question ? Even at the 18th century, biographers had to explain to the audience what was hidden behind the door of the mapmaker's room. Compiling, analysing, deducing was the necessary work accomplished by the armchair mapmaker. Even at the 19th century, it was still necessary to combine informations to finish a map. Nevertheless, to be an armchair mapmaker was a precarious situation. First of all, there was no name for the occupation. The expression "géographe de cabinet" appeared later. Then, there was no education to learn how to compile information though there was school to become topographer (ingénieur géographe). At last, there was no official position specially made for armchair mapmakers. How to become an "armchair mapmaker" if the profession does not exist ? How could you learn how to make maps if no education exists ? How could you earn your money ? How to obtain the money necessary to print costly maps ? So many questions we had to answer thanks to the Jean-Baptiste's example.
Keywords
Armchair mapmaker; daily life; institutions