Treasures of the Map Collection open to the public












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            An exhibition organised by the Map Collection of the CU Faculty of Science [ URL "http://w

            geography/geographical-library/map-collection"] and presenting a valuable collection of ha
            old atlases and digitalised globes, has just opened to the public. Visitors to the exhibit
            Poklady Mapové sbírky (‘Treasures of the Map Collection’), can look forward to a number of

            discovered items, including Gijsbertson’s map of Europe, De Wit’s map of Germany and Camoc
            Turkish siege of Malta. This will be the first time that the entire collection of cartogra
            has been presented to the public in this form. The exhibition is open until the end of Jul

            is free.



            “The exhibition presents an original collection of works that have not yet been on display
            and is aimed at lovers of geography, history and cartography, as well as the arts, graphic

            all of which are part of old maps, atlases and globes. They are a reflection of their time
            of a map could be recognised by their cartographical precision and use of colours, engravi
            compositions,” noted PhDr. et Mgr. Eva Novotná, director of the Map Collection.

            The exhibition, which is taking place with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the C
            presents works of major significance from the oldest cartographical periods in Europe, i.e
            the Roman Empire, Arabia and the Middle Ages. Maps of Bohemia occupy a special place in th

            and visitors can view maps and documents depicting the entirety of the lands of the Bohemi
            the course of centuries. This part of the exhibition includes maps by Podolský and Kreibic
            as printed, hand-coloured maps by Criginger, Aretin, Vogt, Fabricius, Komenský and Helwig.

            Kosmografie česká by the humanist Sigismund of Puchov will also be on display.
            Probably the greatest treasures on display, and completely unknown to the public up until 
            a collection of wall maps, only discovered and restored very recently. These include a map

            Frederik de Wit (a truly unique item, as this map is part of no other collection in the wo
            Europe by Evert Gijsbertson.
            The centrepoint of the exhibition are works by Dutch masters of the golden age of cartogra

            turn of the 17th century, including engravers and master printers distinguished by their k
            geography, broad overview of new discoveries abroad, broad education, as well as their con
            artistic abilities, in which they were the equal of their contemporary masters painters.

            Also playing a major role in the exhibition is Renaissance Italy, many of whose original, 
            part of the collection. Amongst the jewels in the Map Collection is the unique 2nd edition
            published in 1565 by Giovanni Francesco Camocio, which includes a depiction of the siege o

            Turks in the same year.
            The exhibition also includes works from the German school of cartography. A special sectio
            depictions of towns and cities via topographical images, vedutas and detailed maps includi

            and histories of the places depicted. Naturally it includes works by master cartographer V
            apart from his famous views of London, the collection also includes the Brazilian Olinda, 
            the scene of a battle between the Portuguese and Dutch.

            The history of cartography also includes globes, armillary spheres and telluria. Visitors 
            exhibition can view digitalised 3D models of globes by Blaeu and Seutter. There’s also som
            enthusiasts.

            The exhibition is being held in the foyer of the Map Collection of the CU Faculty of Scien
            6 [ URL "http://www.natur.cuni.cz/geography/map-collection"] in Prague 2 and is open to th
            a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, until 31 July of this year.

            By: PhDr. et Mgr. Eva Novotná; red.