Arthur H. Robinson - Cartographer Quotes

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Until such time as logic and objective research concerning the relative efficiency of the various possibilities is undertaken, the cartographer can but rely on the experience and direction of the artist.

Arthur H. Robinson

The assumption that effective cartographic technique and its evaluation is based in part on some subjective artistic or aesthetic sense on the part of the cartographer and map reader is somewhat disconcerting. For example, E. Raisz claims that the effective use of lines or colors requires artistic judgment, and J. K. Wright explains that the suitability of a symbol depends on the map maker's taste and sense of harmony. Throughout the literature there are numerous similar assertions regarding the assumed subjective aesthetic and artistic content of cartography.

Arthur H. Robinson

Take an orange and draw something on it — say, a human face. Now carefully remove the peel, trying to keep it in one piece, and flatten it against your kitchen table. You'll see that in making a two-dimensional object out of a round one, something has to give. Either the face gets distorted and looks all 'mushed out,' or in flattening the peel, it breaks into segments, dividing the face as well into several parts. A cartographer chooses between a series of those kind of lesser-of-two-evils alternatives.

Arthur H. Robinson