Bilder Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) – Tabula Geographico-Hydrographica Motus Oceani – Etching (1665)

Beskrivning

"Tabula Geographico-Hydrographica Motus Oceani, Currentes, Abyssos, Montes Ignivomos in Universo Orbe Indicans". This work is the first world map ever printed to illustrate ocean currents, shown through a series of rhythmic, swirling lines throughout the global seas. The map also identifies the locations of various "abyssos" (oceanic whirlpools or whirlpool-like vents) and "montes ignivomos" (volcanoes), reflecting Kircher’s revolutionary theory that the Earth’s interior was a honeycomb of water and fire connected by subterranean tunnels. This double-page etching is from the seminal scientific work Mundus Subterraneus, published in Amsterdam by Johannes Janssonius van Waesberghe in 1665. It represents a significant milestone in the history of oceanography and physical geography, attempting to synthesize a global system of maritime movement and geological activity.

Athanasius Kircher was a German Jesuit polymath based at the Collegio Romano, widely considered the most influential scientific thinker of the mid-seventeenth century. His interests were nearly universal, spanning linguistics, medicine, and the natural sciences. In Mundus Subterraneus, Kircher proposed that ocean currents were driven by water being drawn into whirlpools at the North Pole, traveling through the Earth's center, and emerging at the South Pole. While his specific internal mechanisms were later disproved, his observation of surface currents and his systematic mapping of volcanic activity were pioneering efforts in empirical global science. Kircher’s maps are celebrated for their technical precision and their role in transitioning natural philosophy from Renaissance speculation toward modern scientific inquiry.

Artist or Maker: Athanasius Kircher.

Dimensions: Approximately 40 cm x 56 cm.

Medium: Etching.

Date: 1665.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.