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Exhibition Mikuláš Klaudyán: first map of Bohemia 1518

Geographical Institute of the Faculty of Science of Charles University, Geographical Library and Map Collection have the honor to invite you to the exhibition Mikuláš Kladyán: the first map of Bohemia 1518 ((Mikuláš Klaudyán: první mapa Čech 1518).

Mikuláš Klaudyán: The First Map of Bohemia 1518

 

The Geographical Library and the Map Collection of the Geographical Institute of FSc CU are organizing an exhibition Mikuláš Klaudyán: The First Map of Bohemia 1518 on an occasion of the 500th anniversary of the map publication. The exhibition presents Klaudyán's map of the Bohemian Kingdom.

 

In 1518, the first detailed single map of Bohemia was published in Nuremberg. The map is of particular importance not only for Czech but also for European cartography. It was one of the first of its kind in Central Europe and it belongs to group of single maps of European countries in general. It was named after the physician and the owner of the printing office in Mladá Boleslav, Mikuláš Klaudyán (+1521). His source of inspiration was the route maps by Erhard Etzlauber of Nuremberg. The illustrated single-sheet map made from woodcut has been preserved in only one surviving example stored in the Diocese of Litoměřice and is now deposited in the State Regional Archive in Litoměřice. It was donated by the Catholic priest and historian Gelasius Dobner probably around 1750 to the Bishop of Litoměřice, Emmanuel Ernst von Waldstein (czech Emanuel Arnošt z Valdštejna). However, it is not yet known where Dobner obtained the print. The original was restored in 1968. New research into this unique work is currently being prepared.

 

The original illustrated single-sheet with a map of the Bohemian Kingdom consists of three parts. In the spirit of the humanist tradition, the first part combines the description of the then legal system in the kingdom with the depiction of King Ludovicus of Jagiellon in contrast to the appeal to moral Christian demands, especially justice. The second part contains the parable of the painted carriage drawn into two sides which depicts the unhappy religious and social conditions in the Bohemian Kingdom. Finally, the third segment is the map. Klaudyán had 3 unusually large and probably expensive woodcuts carved and printed in Nuremberg, probably during the printing of the first Czech herbarium by Jan Černý in 1517.

 

The total size of entire print is 126 x 64 cm. The map image itself occupies the lower third of the print and measures 46 x 55 cm. The print is colored. The back of the map was taped with a rough canvas, but now the canvas has been removed. Unfortunately, the title of the map or the first lines have not been preserved. So it is still not known exactly why or for whom the map was issued. J. Dobrovský and V. Hanka believed that it was a New Year's gift, but there is no dedication. Whereas Riegger believed that it was ordered by the Bohemian estates to show the conditions in the country after the Treaty of  St. Wenceslas in 1517. The map also has a thematic content with an overview of the religion and roads. The map consists of 280 signs. Royal towns were marked with a crown, feudal with a shield, Catholic with crossed keys and Utraquist with a chalice. Castles, monasteries and fortresses were marked with a tower and smaller towns with a crescent. The town of Ledeč nad Sázavou remained unmarked. Between Turnov, Mladá Boleslav and Hradec Králové, the map was damaged. Jičín and castles Valdštejn and Valečov are probably missing in this area.

 

The map is oriented to the south. These roadmaps were used with a compass with a small sun-dial. The Czech topographical names on the map, which are still comprehensible to this day, are particularly remarkable. The map have neither a mile scale nor a geographical grid. The positions of the settlements on Klaudyán's map were probably based on the network of roads or on the knowledge of directions from Prague. The approximate scale of the map was set by K. Kuchař at 1 : 685 000. However, researchers are still discussing this and are not yet clear.

 

It is not yet known how many copies were printed. There were not many original prints, as evidenced by the fact that expensive copies and manuscripts of the map have been made since the 16th century. One of them has been preserved to this day at the chateau in Rychnov nad Kněžnou. However, it is remarkable that it also contains parts of texts that have not been preserved on the printed original. The title of the map is missing here and it is not yet known whether the map was intentionally damaged by censorship or whether the damage was caused by frequent use. The oil painting from the 17th century is now stored in the National Museum in Prague.

 

Klaudián's map was well-known and expanded mainly thanks to Sebastian Münster, who published a reduced copy of it in many editions and language versions of Cosmographia since 1554. Unfortunately, without the author's name and without the road network and also with a reduced number of settlements. They borrowed the original printing block to Prague for the printing of the Czech version of Cosmographia , the greatest book of its time, translated by Zikmund of Púchov. It was printed by Jan Kosořský of Kosoř in 1554.

 

The Bologna engraver Bolognino Zalteri published the map of Bohemia engraved in copper and with a northern orientation in Venice around 1566. This copy is highly-valued and its presentation at the exhibition was approved by the British National Library. Visitors will be surprised how the foreign engraver distorted the original Czech topographic names.

 

After 1817, the reduced map was also reproduced by the cartographer and Catholic priest František Jakub Jindřich Kreibich as an appendix to chronicle of Church History by Bílejovský. He also created a remarkable manuscript copy by the "pinhole method". This is rare because it allows to reconstruct locations already damaged on the original map. The main thing was that Kreibich again mentioned the author of the map whose name remained unknown for a long time.

 

In the 20th century, the map was published as a facsimile first by the Geographical Institute CU and later by many other institutions. An excellent black-and-white copy in its original size was made by V. Švambera in 1936 for the scientific edition of old Czech maps called Monumenta cartographica Bohemiae with commentary by I. Honl and K. Kuchař. After World War II, B. Šimák from Masaryk University in Brno created a colored reconstruction of the entire Litoměřice original in its original size.

 

At present, a professional research of Klaudyán's map is being conducted at the Geographical Institute of FSc CU and therefore modern cartometric analyzes will also be presented.

 

Visitors will have the opportunity to take a look on all the above-mentioned copies of Klaudyán's map here in Albertov.

 

The celebrations of Klaudyán's map began on 28 February 2018, when the launching ceremony of the commemorative coin and its putting into circulation took place in the Map Collection. The Czech National Bank also provided plaster plaques of the winning design from the competition. The first prize and a recommendation for realisation were awarded to the design made by the academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů for the excellent rendering of details from the map on the obverse and for the accurate rendering of part of the map on the reverse.

 

The map is associated with a lot of speculation, especially about its content, ciphers and secrets that it hides. It is obvious that there are many unknowns. We can even talk about "The  Klaudyán Code", because no one has yet explained why the illustrated single sheet map was created or what purpose it served. Perhaps sometime in the future, another print with a preserved title will appear or restoration work on the original will clarify some of the unknowns associated with this original cartographic heritage.

 

For a list of posters and canvases, see attachment.

 

The exhibition will be accompanied by video presentations and side events. The exhibition is traveling. More information can be provided by the author of the exhibition, PhDr. et Mgr. Eva Novotná at: novotn48@natur.cuni.cz or phone number 221 951 355.

 

For media feedback click here (an article in Czech language only). 

 

Side events:

 

The exhibition will be complemented by guided tours (July 11, August 22, September 19, October 17), lectures, video projections and programs for children, also as part of the Prague Museum Night (June 9) and The Week of Geography.

 

In the Map Collection you can buy coloring books Mikuláš Klaudyán: the first map of Bohemia 1518 (for CZK 35).

 

The Geographical Institute of FSc CU, the Geographical Library and the Map Collection

Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2 (2nd floor - the hallway of Map Collection)

Phone: +420 221 951 590

www.natur.cuni.cz/geografie/mapova-sbirka

Open: Mon-Fri 9.00-17.00 from 23 May to 31 December 2018 (except holidays)

Free entry.

 

Attached file: def_tiskova.docx
Published: May 22, 2018 10:50 AM

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