LONDON.- Maps can be works of art,
propaganda and
indoctrination. Opening on 30 April 2010, “Magnificent Maps: Power,
Propaganda
and Art” offers a rare chance to see an unrivalled collection of
cartographic
masterpieces on paper, wood, vellum, silver, silk and marble, including
atlases,
maps, globes and tapestries that were intended for display side-by-side
with the
world’s greatest paintings and sculptures. The exhibition
coincides
with two BBC Four series about maps broadcast this April. Peter Barber
was
series consultant for Maps: Power, Plunder and Possession and The Beauty
of Maps
which featured maps held in the British Library.