Find a globe in your local library or classroom and try this: Close your eyes, spin it and drop a finger randomly on its curved, glossy surface.
As you explore a globe, you are likely to focus on the vast expanses of water covering 71% of the planet. Maybe you will land on a place you have never heard of or a spot that no longer exists due to a conflict or climate change. Perhaps you will feel inspired to discover who lives there and what life is like. Look carefully, and you will find the cartouche – the globemaker's signature – and the opposite point of your current location.
In the age of Google Earth, smartwatches with GPS, and cars equipped with navigation systems, something is enduring about a globe – a miniature spherical representation of the world. London-based globemaker Peter Bellerby believes that the human desire to "find our place in the cosmos" has helped globes transcend their original purpose of navigation and the advent of the internet. He explains that this sentiment partly motivated him to create a world for his father's 80th birthday in 2008, which ultimately led to the founding of his company. Sixteen years later, his team of about two dozen artists, cartographers, and woodworkers are still employed, crafting globes that connect people to the planet.
"A globe is more than just a navigational tool; it's a symbol that ties us to the Earth we inhabit," says Bellerby, surrounded by his creations in various languages and stages of completion.
Scottish-born American explorer John Muir eloquently captured this sentiment in 1915 when he wrote, "When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty."
Beyond its existential and historical appeal, globemaking also involves practical and geopolitical considerations. Bellerby's company faces challenges with customs officials in regions with disputed borders, such as India, China, North Africa, and the Middle East.
The relevance of globes, especially handmade ones, in the digital age is debatable. They serve as more than works of art or historical artifacts; they offer snapshots of how their patrons and makers perceived the world at a particular time despite the planet's constant changes.
Jan Mokre, vice president of the International Coronelli Society for the Study of Globes in Vienna, reflects on their continued significance: "Globes remain relevant due to their three-dimensional nature, the irresistible urge to spin them, and the allure of their map images. There's also nostalgia attached to them, akin to the appeal of vintage cars and mechanical watches."
Joshua Nall, director of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science in Cambridge, acknowledges the declining usage of globes, particularly in educational settings where digital technologies are increasingly prevalent. However, he notes that they continue to be sought after as prestige items, reflecting their owners' knowledge, interests, and status.
Bellerby's globes are luxury items, ranging from about 1,290 pounds ($1,618.69) for the smallest to six figures for the 50-inch Churchill model. Each globe undergoes a meticulous process, from constructing the sphere to applying delicate panels known as "gores," which are meticulously painted by artists in Bellerby's London studio.
The imagery adorning the globes spans from constellations to landscapes and mythical creatures. And yes, dragons can be found here.
While Bellerby doesn't disclose his clients, they come from diverse backgrounds, including families, businesses, heads of state and private art collectors. Even filmmakers seek out his globes for their productions.
Borders' political sensitivity complicates globemaking. Bellerby's company marks disputed borders as such, acknowledging their historical and geopolitical complexities.
The concept of the Earth as a sphere dates back to ancient times, with notable figures like Plato and Aristotle advocating for it. The oldest surviving terrestrial globe, known as the "Erdapfel," dates back to 1492 and was crafted by German navigator Martin Behaim. Despite its historical significance, it also reflects the troubling realities of its time, including the European conquest and the Atlantic slave trade.
During World War II, giant globes were commissioned as symbols of power and partnership. In 1942, the United States gifted twin globes to President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. These massive globes, each over 50 inches in diameter, served both practical and symbolic purposes during a tumultuous period in history.
While the usage of globes may be declining in some contexts, their enduring appeal lies in their ability to encapsulate the world's complexity and beauty in a tangible, three-dimensional form.
