Map as Tapestry: Science and Art in Pedro Teixeira's 1656 Representation of Madrid

Pedro Teixeira's Topographia de la Villa de Madrid is arguably the greatest representation of a city in the Spanish Habsburg world. Measuring nearly six feet high and more than nine feet wide, the map is a remarkable scientific achievement as well as a sophisticated art object. An exploration o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Art bulletin (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2014-03, Vol.96 (1), p.50-69
Main Author: Escobar, Jesús
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
17th century
Art history
Astronomical maps
Baroque era
Cartography
Castles & palaces
Cities
Engraving
Map libraries
Oil painting
Palaces
Public domain
Science
Tapestry
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Summary:Pedro Teixeira's Topographia de la Villa de Madrid is arguably the greatest representation of a city in the Spanish Habsburg world. Measuring nearly six feet high and more than nine feet wide, the map is a remarkable scientific achievement as well as a sophisticated art object. An exploration of the map's text and ornament details the efforts of a scientist working in a court setting to shape a grandiose picture of the Spanish capital. Displayed on a wall, Topographia de la Villa de Madrid rivaled paintings and tapestries in their ability to exalt the image of a powerful ruler.
ISSN:0004-3079
1559-6478
DOI:10.1080/00043079.2014.877305