The Orbis sensualium pictus, first published in 1658, was an important element in the pedagogical programme of the Czech Reformer, Jan Amos Komensky [Comenius]. Through the use of illustrations with an associated key, it was intended to educate young children about the names and terms of items and activities that they saw in the world around them. Although the significance of the work has long been recognised and has been studied in the wider context of Comenius’ philosophical ideas, comparatively little attention has been paid to the illustrations in this work. The intention of this article is to examine the portrayal of religious faiths in the Orbis sensualium pictus as well as to demonstrate that, in spite of Comenius’ rejection of confessional differences, they depict Christian worship and religious practice from a largely Lutheran perspective.
Spicer, Andrew
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences\Department of History, Philosophy and Culture
Year of publication: 2019Date of RADAR deposit: 2018-12-06
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