Globular Hemisphere Map of the World
Czech Republic: Early 20th Century
Stained glass window
35.5 inches diameter including frame, 33 inches diameter glass, 2.75 inches deep
A unique colorful circular stained glass window hemisphere map of the world within a wooden frame. The cartography is an unusual globular projection with Europe slightly above center. The stained-glass sections comprising continents and land masses are in tones of red, brown, orange, and purple, and oceans and water masses in blue. The glass sections are set within lead strips (cames), with the whole having equatorial and tropical circles, intersected by a vertical meridian, also as connective lead strips. The glass is textured, giving an overall pebbled perspective that diffuses light like the glass of a shower door. The round oak frame is in natural wood finish on the front side and painted white on the other side. It was intended to be viewed from the front from inside the building (with natural wood finish and cartography as normally viewed), with the map showing backwards (in reverse) from the outside, which was painted to protect from the elements.
