Taking speed seriously: motion, simultaneity, and context in map-making for historical analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article discusses ways of representing motion and simultaneity in cartography regarding historical processes. The main goal is to debate the visual language necessary for representing speed, rhythm, stops, as well as continuous and discontinuous movements in space. The analysis starts with an assessment of how the idea of motion has been represented in cartography in general, followed by an investigation into how historians have used these visual resources to represent historical processes. A panoramic analysis of studies focuses on the representation of motion in cartography leading to the second part of the article, with an exploratory approach on a venture in search of inspiration into the field of visual arts. Ideas were sought from a panoramic collection of traditional painting and comics, in which some essential concepts were found, especially the concept of transition between frames. In addition, some techniques from visual arts, such as sharpness densities, displacement effects, as well as shorten and lengthen effects, were considered to be relevant features in cartography. The conclusion highlights a great diversity of possible manners for representing motion and speed in maps of historical studies.