Intricate paper sculptures of historic cities

Our minds are a little blown by these paper map sculptures by UK-based artist Matthew Picton. Based on past events, the maps depict various cities in the midst of historical events, including fires, war and disease.

And, if the craftsmanship of these pieces wasn't impressive enough, Picton took the project one step further, using paper connected with each event to construct the sculptures. For example, Picton's depiction of Venice was formed using pages from Thomas Mann's 1911 novel Death in Venice, which is based on the cholera outbreak that swept the city when he visited. And the Lower Manhattan sculpture was pieced together from headlines following the 2001 World Trade center attack and DVD covers of the film Towering Inferno.

The amount of skill and fine detail that has gone into these sculptures is mind-boggling. Picton ensured he created each city as accurately as possible - spending hours researching each city and perfecting the intricate weaves of paper. He even carefully burnt specific areas of certain maps in order to depict affected areas, including Manhattan after 9/11 and London after the 1966 Great Fire of London.

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What do you think of these paper map sculptures? Let us know in the comments below...