Upper Guinea, from "Court Game of Geography" 1838 - 1855

"Upper Guinea", part of William and Henry Rock's "Court Game of Geography," presents a cartographic rendering of West Africa. Produced in a period of intense European colonial expansion, this innocuous-seeming playing card reflects the era's geographical fascinations, but also its inherent biases. The borders and names suggest an assumed understanding and control over a region that was, in reality, incredibly diverse and complex. The term "Guinea" itself, as used by Europeans, flattens numerous distinct cultures and societies into a single geographical entity. Consider the emotional distance embedded in the act of turning a land and its people into a game. This work exists as both an educational tool and a subtle form of propaganda, shaping perceptions of Africa in the Western imagination. How does this seemingly innocent game piece contribute to a larger narrative of colonialism and cultural appropriation, and what are the personal and emotional implications of viewing a land as a mere territory to be mapped and claimed?