Jerry Brotton alongside an image of Visscher's New World Map (1658).
Credit: Visscher’s New World Map by Nicolaes Visscher, 1658 courtesy of Oculi Mundi.

Secret Mapping: Mapping Secrecy

Professor Jerry Brotton hosts an afternoon dedicated to maps and their secrets.

In person

About Secret Mapping: Mapping Secrecy

Jerry Brotton alongside an image of Visscher's New World Map (1658).
Credit: Visscher’s New World Map by Nicolaes Visscher, 1658 courtesy of Oculi Mundi.

All maps contain some kind of secret to be uncovered, from how to get from A to B to clandestine maps of treasure, escapes and invasions. Yet all secrets are in some way like maps, withholding then, at other times, revealing concealed information.

In this introductory talk Professor Jerry Brotton ranges from the Renaissance to our current global moment, to explore the surprisingly mutual relationship between maps and secrecy.

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  • Jerry Brotton

    Jerry Brotton is a writer, broadcaster, curator and international authority on map history.

    More

    He is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary University of London. He has written several books on map including the bestselling A History of the World in Twelve Maps (2012). He has written and presented many BBC TV and radio programmes, and is presenter of the podcast, What’s Your Map? His latest book is Four Points of the Compass: the Unexpected History of Direction (2024).

Arriving at the venue

This event takes place in the British Library Knowledge Centre.  The doors will open at 13.30. 

Please arrive no later than 15 minutes before the start time of this event.  If you have specific access requirements please email customer@bl.uk

Dates and times