G. & J. Bartholomew
68 x 94 cm
This is a separately issued folding map of the world published to celebrate the advancement of the United Nations.
The map shows the world on Mercator’s Projection and symbolically, there are no borders, although countries are named and positioned. There are several vignettes within the landmass, illustrating famous explorers, significant historical events or costumes. Numerous panels quote famous individuals, show statistics and on a large panel on the lower left, is an excerpt of the Atlantic Charter, drawn up during World War II between Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President F.D.R. Roosevelt from which was to emerge the United Nations.
The pictorial nature of the map is then taken to another level with the inclusion of a multitude of elaborate armorial shields representing the new members of the U.N. This addition makes the map seemingly akin to the early 17th century maps when armorial shields were a common decorative feature.
The outer corners bear more panels with famous quotes, such as the Gettysburg address by Abraham Lincoln and on the lower right, are the first two mandates discussed in a meeting on January 1st 1942. This was a meeting of representatives of the twenty-six nations at war with the Axis powers and the first iteration of the United Nations.
Finally, the outer borders contrast various technological and cultural advancements in the classical period on the left and in the modern period on the right.
The map was published by L.G. Bullock and the map was designed by G. & J. Bartholomew.
Original colour. [WLD4725]