John Pinkerton (1758 – 1826)
was a Scottish writer, historian and cartographer. He was born in Edinburgh. His father apprenticed him to a lawyer but he did not like the legal profession. Instead of that he began writing and published his first book „Elegy on Craigmillar Castle“ in 1776. Pinkerton moved to London in 1781, to pursue his writing career in earnest. He proved passionate in publishing several works of literature, poetry and history. After 1800, Pinkerton turned to geographical works. He was a celebrated master of the Edinburgh School of Cartography which flourished until 1830. Pinkerton and his contemporaries John Cary and John Thomsen redefined European cartography by abandoning decorative elements such as elaborate title cartouches and fantastical beasts in favour of detail and accuracy. In 1802 he produced „Modern Geography“. His main work „Pinkerton‘s Modern Atlas“ was published from 1808 through 1815 with a special American re-issue by Dobson & Co in 1818. In nearly the same period (1808-1814) „A General Collection of Voyages and Travels“ was on the market. Pinkerton relocated to Paris in 1818 where he managed his publishing business until his death in 1826.
Pinkerton‘s personality has been labeled by historians as eccentric, aggressive, even insane. Despite this he is an important figure in the history of cartography.
Map Details
This large map is taken from „Pinkerton‘s Modern Atlas“, published by Cadell & Davies 1812. The depiction of Denmark is exceptionally detailed and the inset map of Iceland in the upper left corner contains much more information on the interior of the country than in the past. Pinkerton‘s maps reflect the fine copperplate engraving work being done in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century.
The title „Denmark“ is placed in an octagonal cartouche oppositely, with two distance scales underneath. The author of the map is to be found above the neatline („Pinkerton‘s Modern Atlas“).
The title cartouche of the inset map of Iceland is positioned also in an octagonal frame in the lower left corner. Two distance scales are located oppositely. Along the coastline numerous place-names of villages and fjords are to be found. In the interior it is remarkable that many lakes and rivers are shown but no glaciers and mountains. The bishoprics Skalholt and Holar and the volcano Hekla are depicted without any symbols.
Overall this Pinkerton map reflects the fine copperplate engraving work being done in Britain at the beginning of the 19th century.
Comments by the collector
At the time I acquired this map it became the youngest map in the Schulte Collection. The reason was that amongst the more than 200 maps, it is the only map in which Denmark and Iceland, its former colony for centuries, are shown together.