Faden Map of Western New World

WESTERN NEW WORLD  or HEMISPHERE/EASTERN NEW WORLD or HEMISPHERE, 3d ed.
William Faden, engraver and publisher
London, England; dated October 28, 1790
Ink and watercolor on wove paper
Museum purchase 1983.0094

Maps like this one left a lasting impression of the complex circuits of expansion, exploitation, and exchange inherent in trans-Atlantic trade. Often regarded as attractive examples of printing, maps and other visual images often obscure the processes and effects of enslavement. The ways European mapmakers presented geographic areas often reflected the widespread impact and the mindset of colonialism.