Kircher Collection

MUNDUS SUBETERRANEUS. The earth depicted in a cross-section as containing a central core of fire surrounded by subterranean lakes and rivers

Athanasius Kircher
ATHANASIUS KIRCHER German Jesuit, scholar, mathematician, archeologist

Map of Atlantis / Kircher
Map of Atlantis showing position relative to Europe, Africa and America (albeit upside down)

1662 Schott Sea Monsters and mermaids
I Triton, II " Sea monster in the likeness of a monk", III " Sea man in the dress of a bishop", IV " Sea Satyr"

Influence of the Universe, the Macrocosm, on Man, the Microcosm, 1678. From Mundus Subterraneus by Athanasius Kircher. (Amsterdam, 1678)

Egyptian solar system model
Solar System. An engraving depicting the layout of the Solar System. It is shown as the route taken by a scarab beetle. The path starts at the Earth (centre) and passes out to the heavens (top)

FLOWER CLOCK, 1643. Horoscopium botanicum showing sunflowers used to tell the time of day. Color engraving from Athanasius Kirchers De arte magnetica, published in 1643

VOICE AMPLIFIER. An imaginary voice amplifier, based on the ideas of Athanasius Kircher. Copper engraving, 1723, by Arnold van Westerhout

Historical celestial system. Illustration of the celestial system proposed by Athanasius Kircher in his 1660 work Iter extaticum coeleste

The Sun and associated gods, Egypt
Egyptian gods. Engraving depicting the Sun and Moon surrounded by the names of Egyptian gods. At the top is a male Sun, with male gods, and below id the female Moon surrounded by the female gods

Sciathericon for determining time
Sciathericon. Illustration entitled Sciathericon stellarum fixarum situm qualibet hora demonstrans, a device for showing time by reference to the fixed stars

A family enjoying a magic lantern show
5311943 A family enjoying a magic lantern show; (add.info.: Engraving depicting a family enjoying a magic lantern show. The apparatus here differs little from that of Kircher in the 17th century)

Portrait of Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, Orientalist and German scholar - Engraving sd, 18th century
XEE5026976 Portrait of Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, Orientalist and German scholar - Engraving sd, 18th century; (add.info.: Portrait of Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite

Mundus Subterraneus de Athanasius Kircher - Geology - Structure, Form and Origin of the Earth
XEE5026984 Mundus Subterraneus de Athanasius Kircher - Geology - Structure, Form and Origin of the Earth; (add.info.: Mundus Subterraneus de Athanasius Kircher - Geology - Structure)

An audience enjoying a magic lantern show
5311937 An audience enjoying a magic lantern show; (add.info.: Engraving depicting an audience enjoying a magic lantern show)

Compare representations of the different cosmological systems, 1671 (engraving)
FAT4300500 Compare representations of the different cosmological systems, 1671 (engraving); (add.info.: Compare representations of the different cosmological systems: Ptolemee, Plato, Tycho de Brahe)

Correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm. Plate taken from " Mundus subterraneus" by Athanase Kircher
FAT4300475 Correspondence between microcosm and macrocosm. Plate taken from " Mundus subterraneus" by Athanase Kircher (1601-1680)

Illustration for the "Turris Babel" by Athanasius Kircher, 1679. Creator: Decker, Coenraet (1650-1685)
Illustration for the "Turris Babel" by Athanasius Kircher, 1679. Found in the collection of the University Library Heidelberg

A unicorn or unicorn, mythological animal - Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher
GIA4784277 A unicorn or unicorn, mythological animal - Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680), Jesuite, orientalist and German scholar by Unknown Artist

Kircher, (1602-1680), 1830. Creator: Unknown
Kircher, (1602-1680), 1830. Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680) German Jesuit scholar and polymath who published works on comparative religion, geology, and medicine

Small dragon, 1678. Artist: Athanasius Kircher
Small dragon, 1678. A print from Mundus subterraneus, by Athanasius Kircher, Amsterdam, 1678. Kircher?s Mundus Subterraneus marks the first serious effort to describe the physical makeup of the earth

Map of the Garden of Eden, 1675. Artist: Athanasius Kircher
Map of the Garden of Eden, 1675. A print from Arca Noe, Amsterdam, 1675. Found in the collection of Jean Claude Carriere

Map of Atlantis, from Mundus Subterraneus, 1665-68 (engraving)
532075 Map of Atlantis, from Mundus Subterraneus, 1665-68 (engraving) by Kircher, Athanasius (1602-80); (add.info.: Map locating the legendary island of Atlantis from from the Mundus Subterraneus of)

Archytas of Taranto (435-347 BC) flies a wooden dove. Engraving from "
GIA4806761 Archytas of Taranto (435-347 BC) flies a wooden dove. Engraving from " Mundus Subterraneus" by Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680), Jesuite, orientalist and scholar

View of the rocks of "Charybde"and "Scylla"
GIA4805904 View of the rocks of " Charybde" and " Scylla" in the Detroit of Messina, Sicily" Engraving from " Mundus Subterraneus" by Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680)

Cartographic representation of Charybde"and "Scylla"
GIA4805882 Cartographic representation of Charybde" and " Scylla" in the Detroit of Messina, Sicily" Engraving from " Mundus Subterraneus" by Athanasius Kircher

Scientific board representing lunar cycles and different constellations - Athanase
GIA4816546 Scientific board representing lunar cycles and different constellations - Athanase Kircher, 1636 - Museo astronomico de Rome by Kircher, Athanasius (1602-80); Museo astronomico, Rome

Genealogical tree of Noe d Apres: Athanasius Kircher, Turris Babel, Roma 1675 Milan
GIA4752737 Genealogical tree of Noe d Apres: Athanasius Kircher, Turris Babel, Roma 1675 Milan by Kircher, Athanasius (1602-80); Private Collection; (add.info.: Genealogical tree of Noe d Apres)

Frontispiece of Phonurgia nova (1673)
LRI4567213 Frontispiece of Phonurgia nova (1673) by Unknown Artist, (17th century); Museo Civico Bibliografico Musicale, Bologna

Portrait of Matteo Ricci (left), Italian Jesuit and Paul Ly
GIA4777062 Portrait of Matteo Ricci (left), Italian Jesuit and Paul Ly, great propagator of Christian faith in China, engraving of " De China monumenta" by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680)

The Chinese Emperor and Supreme Ruler of the Tartars - Chinese emperor Kangxi (1652-1722
GIA4777020 The Chinese Emperor and Supreme Ruler of the Tartars - Chinese emperor Kangxi (1652-1722) Qing dynasty, engraving by Athanasius Kircher (1601-1680) from " China Monumentis

Grand Moghol (Mogol or Moghul) (probably Aurangzeb (1618-1707)
GIA4777009 Grand Moghol (Mogol or Moghul) (probably Aurangzeb (1618-1707), also known as Alamgir): the Throne Hall. " De China Monumenta" by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuit

Physics: a board representing the study of light diffraction and the study of colours
GIA4776687 Physics: a board representing the study of light diffraction and the study of colours. Athanase Kircher (or Athanasius Kircheri 1602-1680), German Jesuite

Portrait of Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, Orientalist
GIA4775518 Portrait of Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, Orientalist and German scholar - Engraving sd 18th century by Unknown artist

A Sirene, Legendary Person - Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680)
GIA4784273 A Sirene, Legendary Person - Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, Orientalist and German scholar by Unknown Artist

Cattus volans, 1667 (engraving)
3499639 Cattus volans, 1667 (engraving) by Kircher, Athanasius (1602-80); (add.info.: Cattus volans. Engraving from China Monumentis Illustrada, edited in Amsterdam in 1667)

Frontispiece of Phonurgia nova (1673)
LRI4567192 Frontispiece of Phonurgia nova (1673) by Unknown Artist, (17th century); Museo Civico Bibliografico Musicale, Bologna

Portrait of Matteo Ricci (left), Italian Jesuite and Paul Ly
GIA4789703 Portrait of Matteo Ricci (left), Italian Jesuite and Paul Ly, great propagator of the Christian faith in China

An elephant rubbing against a palm tree trunk Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher
GIA4795793 An elephant rubbing against a palm tree trunk Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, orientalist and scholar

The maze of Cnossos designed by Dedale - In the center is the minotaur - "
GIA4741977 The maze of Cnossos designed by Dedale - In the center is the minotaur - " Turris Babel" by Athanase Kircher - Amsterdam, 1675 by Kircher

Representation of a griffon, fantastic creature half eagle half lion
GIA4784228 Representation of a griffon, fantastic creature half eagle half lion. Engraving from a work by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuite, orientalist and scholar

Tibet. View of the Pothala, palace or the Dalai Lama in Lhasa
GIA4777088 Tibet. View of the Pothala, palace or the Dalai Lama in Lhasa. " De China Monumenta" by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuit, Orientalist and German scholar, Amsterdam 1667

Cobra and poisonous snake from India. "De China Monumenta"
GIA4777047 Cobra and poisonous snake from India. " De China Monumenta" by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuit, Orientalist and German scholar, Amsterdam 1667

On the left, Hindu deity has eight arms, on the right Amida, Japanese Buddha
GIA4777025 On the left, Hindu deity has eight arms, on the right Amida, Japanese Buddha. " De China Monumenta" by Athanasius Kircher (1601 - 1680), Jesuit, Orientalist and German scholar

Pyramids of the Black Pharaohs - in "Sphynx mystagoga"
LSE4102802 Pyramids of the Black Pharaohs - in " Sphynx mystagoga" by Athanase Kircher, 1673 by Kircher, Athanasius (1602-80); Jesuit Library, Cairo

Illustrations from Athanasius Kircher Ars Magna, Amsterdam, 1671 (engraving)
3032084 Illustrations from Athanasius Kircher Ars Magna, Amsterdam, 1671 (engraving) by Dutch School, (17th century); Private Collection; UIG; Dutch, out of copyright

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"Unveiling the Mysteries of Kircher: A Journey into the Mind of Athanasius Kircher" Step into the captivating world of Athanasius Kircher, a polymath whose thirst for knowledge knew no bounds. His works spanned from maps of Atlantis to intricate cross-sections of the Earth, revealing subterranean wonders that lay hidden beneath our feet. In his groundbreaking book "MUNDUS SUBETERRANEUS, " Kircher depicted a mesmerizing vision of our planet's core engulfed in fire, surrounded by enchanting lakes and rivers flowing beneath us. This engraving transports us to an otherworldly realm where imagination meets scientific curiosity. Kircher's insatiable quest for understanding led him to explore sea monsters and mermaids in his 1662 masterpiece "Schott Sea Monsters and Mermaids. " These fantastical creatures captured both his fascination with marine life and his ability to blend artistry with scientific observation. Venturing further into ancient civilizations, we discover Kircher's Egyptian solar system model. Through meticulous craftsmanship, he recreated celestial bodies as revered deities within their mythological context. The intricacy of this model showcases not only his technical skill but also his deep appreciation for cultural history. One cannot overlook the whimsical yet ingenious "FLOWER CLOCK" designed by Kircher in 1643. By using sunflowers as natural time indicators, he ingeniously merged botany with horology – a testament to his innovative thinking that transcended conventional boundaries. Kirchner's imaginative mind even ventured into fictional realms like an imaginary voice amplifier showcased in copper engravings by Arnold van Westerhout in 1723. Inspired by Kircher's ideas, this device amplifies voices beyond what was thought possible during its time – a glimpse into how far ahead he was compared to contemporary thinkers. Delving deeper into celestial systems, we encounter historical depictions meticulously crafted by Kircher himself.