‘Cartographia’ and Vincent Virga: Charting New Horizons
Posted on: November 16th, 2007 by Matt Raymond
When I lived in New York City, it was a Friday evening ritual on my way home from work to pick up a copy of �Time Out New York� to find out what was going on in the city, especially culturally. But who knew they sometimes write about important goings-on in DC, too?
The current issue (Nov. 15�21) carries an interview with Vincent Virga. He is the renowned photo editor and author (along with the Library of Congress) of the new book �Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations,� published by Little, Brown in association with the Library.
The book represents Virga�s latest headlong plunge into the vast collections of the Library. This time around, his subject is maps, which are highlighted stunningly and comprehensively in �Cartographia� as documents that tell us much more than how to get from point A to point B; they also tell us something about our figurative direction as a people and as different cultures.
A sampling of the interview:
The library�s map collection numbers in the millions. How did you decide what to include?
Each map I included had to tell us something about the culture it came from. The Chinese had five directions�north, south, east, west and center. The ancient Arabic maps look like geometric patterns. What�s going on there? That�s what inspired me. And I told Ron [Grim, the Library�s former chief of geography and maps] I only wanted to look at things that were really beautiful�things I�d like to steal or get for Christmas.
Fortunately, �Cartographia� leaves the Library�s collections intact, but it�s a great way for map enthusiasts and even novices to hold a little piece of them in their own hands.
Tags: maps, geography, cartography, cartographia, vincent virga, books, new york, new york city
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November 17th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Where can I find this book to purchase it and is it distributed in other libraries yet?
Thanks
November 19th, 2007 at 1:10 pm
I’m sure it will be in many libraries (including the Library of Congress), and I know that it can be purchased from several of the most well-known commercial outlets.
It can also be bought directly from the Library’s retail-sales shop online, at this link.
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:37 am
I have an old drawing of Long Island that is quite interesting, I picked it up from a antique dealer years ago. I would like some help identifying it as far as any value. It is a very unique piece. Please respond I found that Vincent Virga had the closest maps to what I have, of New York. Please help, thank you very much! I look forward to your response.