A Hill “Face” with Contour Lines

With the rise of color printing in the late-nineteenth century, mapmakers turned to color-coded contour lines. Whether on technical maps of the United States Geological Survey or on touring guides like the one used by this artist, color-coded contour lines have become a standard way to represent altitude. Artist Ed Fairburn, as he describes it, “hijacks” the common rules of maps. He alters details and patterns to make portraits by blending together the rules of cartography and painting.