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The Map of Tendre (''Carte de Tendre'' or ''Carte du Tendre'') was a French map of an imaginary land called Tendre produced by several hands (including Catherine de Rambouillet). It appeared as an engraving (attributed to
The map shows a geography entirely based around the theme of
The story
that the Carte de Tendre is based on (in French) {{Authority control Tendre Tendre
François Chauveau
François Chauveau (10 May 1613 – 3 February 1676) was a French artist, known as a burin engraver, draftsmen and painter.
Life
François Chauveau was born 10 May 1613 in Paris, as the second son of the impoverished noble, Lubin Chauveau a ...
) in the first part of Madeleine de Scudéry
Madeleine de Scudéry (15 November 1607 – 2 June 1701), often known simply as Mademoiselle de Scudéry, was a French writer.
Her works also demonstrate such comprehensive knowledge of ancient history that it is suspected she had received inst ...
's 1654-61 novel ''Clélie''. The map represents the path towards love according to the précieuses
The French literary style called ''préciosité'' (, ''preciousness'') arose in the 17th century from the lively conversations and playful word games of ''les précieuses'' (), the intellectual, witty and educated women who frequented the salo ...
of the time period.
Allegorical Geography
The map shows a geography entirely based around the theme of love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
according to the Précieuses
The French literary style called ''préciosité'' (, ''preciousness'') arose in the 17th century from the lively conversations and playful word games of ''les précieuses'' (), the intellectual, witty and educated women who frequented the salo ...
of that era.
'The way through this pastoral country of the affections
Affection or fondness is a " disposition or state of mind or body" that is often associated with a feeling or type of love. It has given rise to a number of branches of philosophy and psychology concerning emotion, disease, influence, and ...
begins at ''Nouvelle Amitié'' and leads (ignoring dead-ends such as the Lake of Indifference) by three alternative routes to either ''Tendre-sur-Reconnaissance'', ''Tendre-sur-Inclination'', or ''Tendre-sur-Estime''.
On the map the river of Inclination flows directly to Tendre-sur-Inclination, showing mutual affection as the shortest way to love. Unsuccessful suitors, however, have to find their way to love ("Tendre") through two possible routes. One leads through the villages of "Billet Doux" (Love Letter
A love letter is an expression of love in written form. However delivered, the letter may be anything from a short and simple message of love to a lengthy explanation and description of feelings.
History
One of the oldest references to a lo ...
), "Petits Soins" (Little Trinkets) and so forth and ends at "Tendre-sur-Estime", the suitor having successfully convinced the lady of his worth. The other route leads to "Tendre-sur-Reconnaissance", the names of the villages showing how patience, faithfulness, and constant attention will eventually soften a lady's heart.
Straying from those routes is not recommended, as one might fall into the "lake of Indifference".
Passion by contrast was left on the fringes, where 'lies ''La Mer Dangereuse'', rocky but otherwise uncharted, and beyond that again are ''Terres Inconnues.
Influences
'The enormously popular and much imitated Carte de Tendre...became a symbol for the politically and culturally independent, aristocratic ''salonnières'' '. From a later,feminist
Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...
perspective, 'in this geography of sentiment the personal is indeed political...placing the female prerogative at the center of civilization' by privileging 'the private amorous contract contingent on woman's inclination'.Cheek, p. 45
See also
*Love
Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...
* Lovemap
The lovemap is a concept originated by sexologist John Money in his discussions of how people develop their sexual preferences. Money defined it as "a developmental representation or template in the mind and in the brain depicting the idealized lo ...
References
External links
The story
that the Carte de Tendre is based on (in French) {{Authority control Tendre Tendre