Of all the mapping projects with which Wenceslaus Hollar was associated, the one with which he was most closely involved was that for the mapping of London.
Hollar was evidently not impressed by the large map of London surveyed by Richard Newcourt and engraved by Hollar’s friend and one-time landlord William Faithorne in 1658. In about 1660 he published this proposal to create a large etched plan of the City, perhaps influenced by his former master, Matthias Merian's (1593–1650) bird’s-eye view of Paris published in 1615. In order to encourage subscriptions, he created a trial plate showing the Covent Garden area, then the most fashionable part of London where many of his proposed patrons would have lived, to accompany this printed appeal. Only one example survives of his etching, now in the British Museum.
James Elliot traces the development of British town and country plans from the earliest examples in the Library’s manuscript, map and topographical collections to those produced towards the end of the 17th century.
Former Head of Map Collections at the British Library Peter Barber explores Wenceslaus Hollar’s interest in and experience of creating maps to picture place and convey his political opinions.
Eva Wilson discusses the history and scope of the earliest surviving pictorial record of the Isle of Man, an album of views owned by antiquarian Ralph Thoresby.
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