“the map eliminates all trace of the practices that produced it, creating the impression that the structure of the map springs directly from the structure of the world”
Tim Ingold, Lines (2007)
Top to bottom:
1. Astrological map showing the position of the heavens at the moment of Prince Iskandar’s birth on 25th April 1384. “Apart from being a horoscope, this manuscript is an exquisite work of art and an exemplary production of the royal kitabkhana ‘publishing house’ or ‘workshop’. The manuscript is lavishly illustrated and reflects the efforts of a whole range of specialists: astronomers, illuminators, gilders, calligraphers and craftsmen, and specialists in paper-making.” Wellcome Images l0071319
2. A chart of the constellation Orion (1808) Wellcome Images V0024712
3. Chyromancy or a short compend[ium] of Palmestry, that is to say many rare observations and select rules of the mysteries of nature touching the hand of man (1648) Wellcome Images L0068572
4. General Map of the Hand (1896)
5. Chyromancy or a short compend[ium] of Palmestry, that is to say many rare observations and select rules of the mysteries of nature touching the hand of man (1648) Wellcome Images l0068571
6. Eighteenth-century fan map of Bath
7. Healthy adult human brain, tractography from MRI. Dr Flavio Dell’Acqua. Sagittal view of a healthy adult, living human brain, virtually sliced down a vertical axis dividing it into left and right halves. Wellcome Images B0009904. Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons by-nc-nd 4.0.
8. Phrenological map of the brain from Vitalogy (1899).
9. Wilder Penfield’s Cortical Homunculus (1951). Penfield’s maps are still used, largely unaltered, today.
10. Brain neuroimaging (2015)
11. Map of health. Odra Noel. This image shows a map of the world with each area made up of human tissue relating to the main health problems within those areas. Wellcome Images B0010613. Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons by-nc-nd 4.0.
KDD & Co 
Kate, you might also be interested in the work of Andrea Mclean, who herself is very interested in the work of William Blake and Visionary Cartography.
http://andrea-mclean.co.uk
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Check out Ramon y Cajal, the granddaddy of drawing the brain (well, little bits of it anyway)
His work, and the Golgi technique that allowed it, completely changed how people thought of the brain
Click to access fundacionneuro.pdf
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These are amazing! That last one,though, takes the cake.
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Fascinating!
On the subject of maps erasing the practices that produced them, did you see the recent BBC documentary about the Ordnance Survey (probably still on iPlayer)? Fascinating look at the processes – including some cartographers (if that’s the right job title) managing to write their names into the lines and shading showing the location of cliff edges.
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This popped up in one of my news feeds and I thought you might find it interesting and beautiful…. http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2017/04/brain-depicted-with-gold-leaf/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+colossal+%28Colossal%29
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These are so fascinating. And so beautiful.
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The tenth image reminded me of this neuroscience/art project:
http://www.gregadunn.com/self-reflected/
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Fascinating- as always, no matter the subject, you leave me with so much to consider.
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How fun! I recently put together a post on maps by our textile artists on TAFA:
https://www.tafalist.com/mapping-the-world/
Fascinating to see how they interpret real and imagined places through fabric or thread…
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Intriguingly. I made. Painting of a functional MRI, Your Brain on Jazz, inspired by a TED talk and author.
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Good map reading…if you’ve not already found them:
Vargic’s Miscellany of Curious Maps
Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as Cartographer
Cartographia: Mapping Civilizations
Mapping the World (Michael Swift)
The Island of Lost Maps
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Amazing and profound the length and depths we attempt at our efforts to understand ourselves.
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