Makrostergiou, A. (2015). Artistic decorations in early modern cartography : a study case of maps of the Dutch Golden Age [Diploma Thesis, Technische Universität Wien]. reposiTUm. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12708/78667
Cartographic decorations of all kinds have been an integral part of maps since the beginning of early modern cartography. However, cartographic decorations reached their peak in cartographic publishing during the Dutch Golden Age because of the sociopolitical, cultural, artistic, scientific and technological context of the Low Countries in that time. In this study, this particular context is brought forward in order to explain the evolution of the cartographic decorations throughout the Dutch Golden Age span. Afterwards, decoration genres are studied separately. Decorations structured in cartouches and marginalia and decorations spread all over the sea surface are analysed through a visual description and an iconographic and historical analysis. Cartouches and marginalia illustrations in two-hemisphere maps were mostly decorative but rectangle marginalia imagery was informative. Decorations spread all over the sea surface were abundant in the beginning of the Dutch Golden Age but became more and more rare towards its end. The evolution of artistic decorations in cartography of the Dutch Golden Age took place in accordance with the evolution of its society.
