Orbis Pictus

The Orbis pictus sensualium ( the visible world ), often referred to as Orbis pictus, was from the 17th to the 19th century in Europe, widespread youth and school book. Author was from Moravia (then under the Bohemian crown) coming humanist Johann Amos Comenius, of this in his time in Patak on Bodrog (now Sárospatak in Hungary) wrote, where he worked as a teacher. The " little book ," as he called it, first appeared in 1653 in an edition with Latin text and with illustrations from a printing block from woodcuts. In 1658, was published by the house of Michael Endter in Nuremberg, the first edition, which was extended to the German language, and was laid as a 2nd edition. The German editing and redesign goes to the Nuremberg poet and writer Sigmund von Birken, from the environment of the North Pegnesischen flower back. In this context, Georg Philipp Harsdörffer ( founder of the flower north ) and Samuel Hartlib be called ( Fijałkowski, p 21). The proportion of Comenius in the illustration appears today as uncertain as its purpose, have probably Paul Creutz Berger made ​​an anonymous Schneider in Nuremberg, during Comenius is said to have (now Leszno ) stopped at the same time in Lissa and Amsterdam ( Fijałkowski, S. 18, and this goes as a first edition of the first latin- German edition 1658, p 17).

Reception history

Description

At 309 pages in 10 × 16.5 cm plus lecture ( Foreword ) and Title Register ( Index ), the world of God described by Johann Amos Comenius in his youth book to insects and illustrated with 150 woodcuts. Most double-sided items are provided on the left, each with a numbered picture and right with two-column notes: Bilingual is the Latin text translates the language of the publication country faced.

The articles move in a cycle over the entire cosmos, God and the world, heaven and earth, of the elements, plants and animals to the people. Their crafts and professions, arts and sciences, virtues and vices are also discussed such as games, politics, wars, religions and penalties up to the Last Judgment. The presentation of the work ends in the decision with the same illustration as in the introduction.

Dissemination and use in schools

In the first version of the bilingual Orbis pictus of 1658 was the German processing by the Nuremberg poet Sigmund von Birken, who had thus the former vocabulary since its inception. Due to the bilingualism of the texts it was " at some attention " possible " in a pleasant way and Latin learn [ to ] ", and so was the work of a " picture book " for " Latin Primer " and a " textbook for the German language in a ".

Lacking in the 17th and 18th century equivalent alternatives and because of its simple as "brilliant basic design ", the Orbis pictus spread rapidly throughout Europe and was thus translated and edited over a period of more than 200 years in almost 20 languages. Were issued to the 200 editions. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe had assured " that in his time the only children's book was ," according to another source

It not only bilingual issues with the language of the respective country of publication were launched, there was also a polyglot editions, such as the city and State Library Potsdam one from the year. 1728 in their inventory. This was launched 70 years after the first German edition, but no revision was made and resorted to the original printing block of 1658, " because the content and presentation of the work [ ... ] timeless in the sense of a divinely ordained world order [ appeared] ". At this the resounding success of this " little book " (Comenius) was firmly shut.

The Orbis pictus was in the 18th century lack of equivalent alternatives (see above) to the " textbook par excel lence ." It took at least until the second half of the 19th century in the schools use and was appreciated by teachers as pupils alike.

Quotes

" But cheap I do not have the good honest Orbis pictus forget the fashion ( for surely giebts also in educating a ) would long ago have so much sold, only that it has hitherto known no beßres book to put in his place. Even his teaching I have not scorned, and I 'm sure their little ones likewise lessons and pleasure will find darinn, provided that the dotted soul, and all the similar looks, is out of the way. "

"The Comenius books I love very much, especially the Orbis pictus, not because they are the best, but because we have no better "

Modern viewing

The work can be considered as one of the first real multimedia teaching materials and as a precursor of the modern lexicon and image of the comic. The idea of ​​Comenius ' was included in the interactive installation Orbis Pictus Revised 1995.