The Cartography of Alexander von Humboldt: Images of the Enlighten-ment
in America offers a cartographic perspective of Alexander von Humboldt's
journey to the Americas, 1799-1804. Presented in the context of the
European Enlightenment, this study includes Humboldt's romanticized view
of the natural world that was an essential part of his science and
philosophy. It interprets Humboldt's maps and images as part of a
transatlantic exchange, incorporating the theme of old Europe and the
New World found throughout his work. Humboldt effectively used images in
the presentation of his ideas, a concept that has been adopted
throughout this study. When combined with text, images permit a closer
reading of the subject matter than text alone. Just as the vivid and
dramatic paintings of David and Goya provide clarity to the
philosophical writing of the age, Humboldt's maps and illustrations
serve as visual images of the Enlightenment in early nineteenth-century
America.