Derdeyn, Eugene Duncan

Eugene Duncan Derdeyn (February 10, 1929 - February 16, 1993) was an American mapmaker, artist, and philosopher. Born in Natchez, Mississippi, Derdeyn attended Catholic schools growing up and then the Academy of Art and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1954 until 1956. Derdeyn worked as an animator and film producer for Encyclopedia Brittanica Films of Chicago until 1967 when he founded the Perspecto Map Company Inc. in Richmond, Illinois. His clients were universities, hospitals, rental car companies, airlines, and encyclopedia manufacturers. He also was a successful watercolor painter, particularly of landscapes. He drew his maps with perspective, not in the conventional style. Derdeyn said, 'It's almost unlimited what can be depicted in maps. You can make anything you want. You're kind of in control.' He continued, 'In a map you don't have to show everything. No matter how big a city is, you can simplify it by showing only those things people want to know.' When considering his background in animation, Derdeyn said, 'Animation really was the key, and I couldn't have done this without that background. That's because in animation, you can think in terms of bending and twisting things any way you want. It gives you the freedom to distort, but it also gives you the ability to reach a higher reality, to do things you can't even do with a camera.' He acknowledged that his maps were not strictly accurate and not meant to be scaled maps, but rather they were 'maps of information'. Derdeyn was a well-known and beloved member of the Richmond, Illinois, community, and was active in the community, particularly sharing his love of maps with local students. Derdeyn married Kay Turner on March 9, 1957, in Chicago, with whom he had two children.