Connections: Maps

Medieval art curator Melanie Holcomb talks about how maps help her make sense of the world.

Melanie Holcomb

January 24, 2011

2 min. watch

"I wonder why it is that we love maps so much. I think in part it has to do with the fact that it allows us to be God for a minute."

Metropolitan Museum of Art medieval art curator Melanie Holcomb talks about how maps help her make sense of the world.

Contributors

Melanie Holcomb
Curator, Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters

Art Mentioned

Taima Mandala, Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk, Japan — Taima Mandala
Japan
14th century

The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou along the Grand Canal, Xu Yang and assistants Chinese, Handscroll; ink and color on silk, China — The Qianlong Emperor's Southern Inspection Tour, Scroll Six: Entering Suzhou along the Grand Canal
Xu Yang
dated 1770

Celestial globe with clockwork, Gerhard Emmoser German, Case: partially gilded silver, gilded brass; movement: brass, steel, Austrian, Vienna — Celestial globe with clockwork
Gerhard Emmoser
1579

[Subway Passengers, New York City], Walker Evans American, Gelatin silver print — [Subway Passengers, New York City]
Walker Evans
1938

[Four 35mm Film Frames: View Down Subway Car: Accordionist Performing in Aisle, Newspaper Vendor in Aisle, New York City], Walker Evans American, Film negative — [Four 35mm Film Frames: View Down Subway Car: Accordionist Performing in Aisle, Newspaper Vendor in Aisle, New York City]
Walker Evans
February 15–23, 1938

Rebbilib (navigational chart), Marshall Islands artist, Coconut palm midrib, fiber, Marshallese people — Rebbilib (navigational chart)
Marshall Islands artist
19th–early 20th century

Astronomicum Caesareum, Michael Ostendorfer German, Hand-colored woodcuts — Astronomicum Caesareum
Michael Ostendorfer
Author Petrus Apianus
Printer Georg and Petrus Apianus
May 1540

Myologie Complette en Couleur et Grandeur Naturelle, Joseph Guichard Duverney French, Illustrations: color mezzotints — Myologie Complette en Couleur et Grandeur Naturelle
Author Joseph Guichard Duverney
Jacques Fabien Gautier Dagoty
Publisher Gautier
1746

View of London from Greenwich, Joseph Mallord William Turner British, Watercolor and ink and traces of graphite — View of London from Greenwich
Joseph Mallord William Turner
1825

The Celestial Map- Northern Hemisphere, Albrecht Dürer German, Woodcut — The Celestial Map- Northern Hemisphere
Albrecht Dürer
1515

Young Woman with a Lute, Johannes Vermeer Dutch, Oil on canvas — Young Woman with a Lute
Johannes Vermeer
ca. 1662–63

Astrolabe of ‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzaffari, ‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzaffari Yemini, Brass; cast and hammered, pierced, chased, inlaid with silver — Astrolabe of ‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzaffari
‘Umar ibn Yusuf ibn ‘Umar ibn ‘Ali ibn Rasul al-Muzaffari
dated 690 AH/1291 CE

The Creation of the World and the Expulsion from Paradise, Giovanni di Paolo (Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia) Italian, Tempera and gold on wood — The Creation of the World and the Expulsion from Paradise
Giovanni di Paolo (Giovanni di Paolo di Grazia)
1445

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Lamb at the Foot of the Cross, Flanked by Two Angels; The Calling of Saint John with the Enthroned Christ flanked by Angels and a Man Holding a Book, Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment, Spanish — Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Lamb at the Foot of the Cross, Flanked by Two Angels; The Calling of Saint John with the Enthroned Christ flanked by Angels and a Man Holding a Book
Spanish
ca. 1180

Memory Board (Lukasa), Wood, Luba — Memory Board (Lukasa)
Luba
19th–20th century

More from The Met

Video

Autumn Rhythm: Number 30, 1950—In Focus

Explore Jackson Pollock’s Autumn Rhythm with Met curator Brinda Kumar and discover what it reveals about artistic intention and staying true to oneself.

Brinda Kumar

September 17

Video

Museum as Muse with Alex Katz and Wangechi Mutu

Artists Alex Katz and Wangechi Mutu explore works in The Met collection.

December 10, 2025

Our First Virtual Worlds

Exploring the history of the Temple of Dendur and the Arts of Oceania in immersive virtual reality.

Brett Renfer

November 12, 2025