ABSTRACT
In the eighth chapter of The boke named the gouernour (1531), Thomas Elyot writes that “it is commendable in a gentilman to paint and kerue [i.e., carve woodblocks for printing] exactly if nature ther to doth induce hym” (sig. C8r). Elyot is not speaking of what we might think of as fine art, nor, as he hastens to add, does he intend to demean the gentleman as “a mason or peynter” (sig. C8v). Rather, Elyot is referring to the creation of images that he calls “figures and chartis” (sig. D2r), which will help the governor “discriue the countray of his aduersary, whereby he shall eschue the daungerous passages with his hoste or nauie: also perceyve the placis of aduauntage, the forme of embataylynge of his enemies: the situation of his campe, for his mooste suertie, the strength or weakenes of the towne or fortresse whiche he intendeth to assault” (sig. Dr). These skills are also helpful, writes Elyot, in one’s own “dominions,” which the governor shall set “out in figure, in suche wise that at his eie shal appere to hym where he shall employ his study and treasure, as well for the saulfgarde of his countray, as for the commodite and honour thereof, havyng at al tymes in his sight the suertie and feblenes, aduauncement & hindrance of the same” (sigs. Dr-Dv). Elyot’s governor will measure, assess, and make use of territory (his own, and that of others) using techniques of visualization and representation that apply to the construction of “figures and chartis” so that “at his eie shal appere to hym where he shall employ his study and treasure.” Elyot writes that diagrams are the best means of conveying information about the physical world:
Diagrams are the form in which the would-be governor apprehends “the discription of the worlde,” exercises his control over his dominions, and plots his aspirations for the territories that belong to others.
