“Lions, Lovage and Lying Stones”

Konrad von Megenberg is generally considered to be the late-medieval pioneer of German scientific prose angled at a lay audience. The 700th anniversary of his birth is a welcome opportunity to take a closer look at his best-known work, the “Book of Nature”, of which the Heidelberg Bibliotheca Palatina possesses four medieval manuscripts.

In line with the medieval view of the world, Konrad places homo sapiens and the cosmos at the beginning of his book, proceeding from there to systematise and classify the “natural things” making up the three other realms of nature identified as such at the time (zoology, botany, geology). In the late Middle Ages the book was adorned with impressive and highly telling illustrations. Like the texts, they are part of a long and venerable tradition and in their turn inspired many later illustrators until well into the modern age.

The exhibition follows the structure of the “Book of Nature”, outlining the various stages of its ongoing history against the relevant culture-historical backgrounds. As it developed, it increasingly concentrated on individual species and also undertook a division of the world into geographic regions. Over 100 authors are represented with their works, including Sebastian Münster’s all-embracing Cosmography, Conrad Gesner’s animal encyclopaedias, Maria Sybilla Meran’s collection of caterpillars and butterflies and Linnaeus’ systematic classification of plants. Progress in the range and scope of natural history from the late Middle Ages to modernity is impressively reflected in the manuscripts, incunabula and prints on show at the exhibition.

The exhibition opens on 28 May 2009, 6 p.m., with a special evening in the basement of Heidelberg University Library.

Programme

Speech of Welcome
Dr. Veit Probst
Heidelberg University Library

Lecture
Konrad von Megenberg: A Universal Scholar of the 14th Century
Prof. Dr. Franz Fuchs
Department of History
Würzburg University

Introduction to the Exhibition
Dr. Margit Krenn, M.A.
Heidelberg University Library

The exhibition is on show at Heidelberg University Library (exhibition halls) from 29 May to 31 October 2009. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the exception of state/national holidays. Admission free.

Contact
Dr. Sabine Häußermann
Publicity Officer
Heidelberg University Library
haeussermann@ub.uni-heidelberg.de

General inquiries from journalists can also be addressed to
Heidelberg University
Communications and Marketing
Dr. Michael Schwarz
Public Information Officer
michael.schwarz@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de

Irene Thewalt
phone: +49 6221 542311
presse@rektorat.uni-heidelberg.de