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This note incorporates
information given by Mr. Peter Melocco on the marble mosaic of the Tasman
Map of 1644 and other paving in the Vestibule of the Public Library of New
South Wales. It is based on Melocco Brothers’ note given to Mr. Ifould in
1942 (see At 34(11)) and amplified from information given to P. Mander Jones,
December 16th 1947 and from other sources.
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In the preliminary discussion in regard to
the carrying out of this paving, it was decided to execute the central feature
which consisted of’ a reproduction of Tasman’s map of Australia (1644), in
coloured marble mosaic. When it was realised that if carried out wholly in
mosaic the effect would not be quite successful by reason of the innumerable
joints between the marble tesserae of which mosaics are formed, it was decided
to treat the map section entirely in marble slab formation, each slab to be
cut so that the only joints which would show would be those forming the lines
of the map.
A matter of importance was the selection
of a suitable marble which would be of a hard-wearing quality, of a tone resembling
that of old parchment, and free from heavy veining; a Wombeyan russet marble
was therefore specially selected discarding any with blotches or heavy veins.
The
problem then presented itself as to the method to be adopted in reproducing
the map accurately to the enlarged, dimensions so as not to lose even the
most minute detail, and it was decided to first photograph the map, and then
cut the negative into small sections, each of these sections then to be enlarged
and the enlarged sections assembled to form a composite whole.
It
was found however that it was not possible to obtain a photograph of the original
map which could give an accurate pattern. The original is mounted on linen
and the paper is buckled by the linen back. Expert opinion was that it was
too dangerous to remove the linen back. (Later Mr. S. Holden confirmed
this. He was willing to make the attempt on a small corner but the
experiment seemed too risky. Mr. Holden may have been consulted previously
when discussions occurred with Melocco Bros. but I have found no record. Photographs
made at the British Museum before the map was sent to Australia are unsuitable
either for the exact measured copy needed for marking out the mosaic or for
reproduction. P. Mander Jones.) A photograph was therefore made at the
Government Printing Office of New South Wales of the lithograph published
by J. Swart in 1860 to accompany his edition of Tasmans Extract Journal of
the voyage of 1642-3. This photograph was cut up and enlarged as described
above.
From the commencement it was realised that
the actual carrying out of this work would be a lengthy proceeding - actually,
it occupied a period of eighteen months. When the order was placed for this
floor the construction of the building was not very far advanced, and in order
to save time, it was decided to do the paving in sections at the Marble works
of Melocco Bros. Pty. Ltd., who had been selected to carry out this as well
as other marble work. A special platform was constructed with a smooth concrete
surface and of an area sufficient to take the whole map. The platform surface
was then divided by traced lines into 45 irregular sections each of which
corresponded to certain defined lines on the map, and upon each of these sections
was placed a corresponding slab of marble of a thickness. The slabs fitted
accurately together and formed a foundation to the full size of the map and
upon which the actual floor marble would be assembled.
The
compass points and lines were then drawn upon the assembled marble slabs,
and every detail from the enlarged photograph was transferred upon the surface
of each slab. The slabs thus had marked upon them over two thousand smaller
sections and for each of these a galvanised iron template had to be made from
which to cut the specially selected pieces of the Wombeyan marble to form
the actual floor. The pieces were cut and ground to the correct outlines by
two specially built machines and were then assembled upon the foundation slabs,
and securely cemented to the same, and to each other
with
special coloured cement showing the definite lines upon the map. There are
about two thousand four hundred pieces.
The various motifs and the outlines showing
shores, islands etc. were chiselled out to the full depth of the mosaic pieces
(i.e. 3/4") and the channels so formed were filled with various coloured
marbles to form the design. The cemented colour were poured in to the channels
and are further held by filling numbers of holes in the floor of the channel.
In positions for which marble suitable to produce the required colour effect
could not be obtained a special composition, as durable as the marble itself,
was used. This composition was coloured with granules of Venetian glasses.
After the whole of the work on the 45 separate slabs had been completely assembled
and the designs incorporated, the surface was rubbed down to a perfectly smooth
finish.
The transferring of the lettering was a feat
of patience in itself, special attention being paid to accuracy — even to
the point of repeating what were obviously mistakes in spelling etc. — the
large letters were chiselled out and the finer ones sand blasted, and all
filled with a special mastic. Each of the dots marking the courses of ships
is bored to the full inch of depth.
Finally the paving was taken from the Works
in the 45 sections to the building and placed in position in much the same
manner as marble pavements are usually laid.
The marble slabs each bearing the marble
mosaic were placed on a concrete floor, which was surrounded by a steel frame.
The coastlines and loxodromic lines which had to be made continuous across
adjoining slabs were then adjusted with the requisite cements, dark brown
for the loxodromic lines and various colours for the coasts.
After the map was laid it was found that
there were a few mistakes in the lettering where the sections of the enlarged
photograph had been joined. All these mistakes were rectified. The mosaic
map measures 13 1/4 feet by 18 feet.
Other
very interesting features of this Vestibule paving are the coloured reproduction
of Dutch ships, coats of arms etc. and the fretwork of brass strips which
form the outlines of the various devices and features, in which brass strips
of various thickness' were used and which were cut, bent and soldered to form
the required designs, and inserted to the full 3/4" depth of the pavement.
We doubt if there exists anywhere in the world a better example of this type
of brass filigree work as adopted to Terrazzo paving. The colouring and shading
in this section of the work is really worthy of special notice. Where marble
granules were not available in suitable colours, costly enamels were crushed
to required size and used as aggregates. The compass roses, scale and large
lettering on the map are also outlined with brass filigree. The coloured marbles
made to fill these decorations all go the full 3/4 of an inch as do also the
marble and coloured cements for the ships and sea monsters.
The map and subsidiary designs are the main
features in the central position of the floor. The balance or surrounding
portion of the floor is laid in alternate narrow bands of special bluish green
Terrazzo between wavy brass lines, and wider bands of a cream Scag Terrazzo
with green veinings. This forms a wave motif as a background to the map. This work
is enclosed by borders of Wombeyan russet and black marbles around its outer
edges.
At the date of its construction and at the
date of writing (December 1947) only one other similar marble floor map in
the world exists. This is a map in marble and copper in the Royal Palace at
Amsterdam showing the world in two hemispheres. It was first constructed sometime
between 1648-1655 on the floor of the “Great Citizen Hall” of the new Town
Hall at Amsterdam. The floor is illustrated in the following work: “Afbeelding
van 't Stadt huys van Amsterdam. In dartigh coopere Plaaten, geordineert door
Jacob van Campen en Geteeckent door Jacon Vennekool. Tot Amsterdam, Bij Dancker
Danckerts, in de Calverstraet in de Danckbaerheyt. 1661."
On the eastern hemisphere appear Australia and Tasmania about as they were
known in 1644 but the map gives the impression of a sketch rather than of
a true copy of an original map, New Zealand is not given.
About
a century after it was laid, the map was repaired and brought up to date.
A few years later but before 1765 the repairs proving unsatisfactory the map
‘was broken up and. the loose underparts were placed in one of the upper rooms.
About 1807 a similar map was laid down in the War Council Chamber on the second
floor of the Town Hall, then used as a Royal Palace. This chamber was at the
same time set up as a Museum of History. So it remained till 1895 when
the space was divided by partitions and the floor covered with heavy planking.
The partitioned space was made into the so-called Lackeys’ rooms and a corridor.
In September 1919 the wooded floor above
the Southeast quadrant of the eastern hemisphere was temporarily removed by
permission of the Queen and a photograph was taken. A reproduction forms the
frontispiece of R. Posthumus Meyjes’ edition of De reizen van Tasman etc.
Linschoten Vereen. XVll, 1919, from which work the above information concerning
this marble map at Amsterdam is taken. (pp. 261—2, xxx).
The original Tasman Map of 1644 came to the
Mitchell Library as a gift from the Princess George of Greece in 1933. When
it was decided that a mosaic of the map should be laid in the vestibule of
the new building of the Public Library in New South Wales, the Principal Librarian
received a letter from Dr. F. C. Wieder, the eminent Dutch authority on old
maps, in which Dr. Wieder congratulated the Trustees of the Public Library
of New South Wales on the decision. He said: “As a citizen of Holland,
which country made itself famous in the XVllth century by its distinguished
school of cartographers, I wish to express my sincere interest in the decision
of the Trustees of the Public Library of New South Wales to recognise the
important work of Dutch navigators by establishing Tasman's own map of his
and his predecessors’ discoveries of a large part of the Australian
Continent in mosaic form on the vestibule floor of the New State Library Building,
as a permanent memorial.
Their (i.e. Dutch navigators') labours were
crowned by the premeditated and fully accomplished work of Tasman, the intrepid
navigator and conscientious cartographer.
By the noble deed of the Trustees to give
to the map a place of honour as a frontispiece to the National Library, its
full value will be for ever impressed on the mind of the daily procession
of visitors to the Library.”
For further information on the Tasman Map Floor
see the Virtual Tour