Orbis

Orbis sensualium pictus, hoc est Omnium fundamentalium in mundo rerum et in vita actionum pictura et nomenclatura. Editio secunda, multo emaculatior et emendatior.

Die sichtbare Welt, das ist Aller vornehmsten Weltdinge und Lebensverrichtungen Vorbildung und Benamung. Zum andernmal aufgelegt und an sehr vielen Orten geändert und verbessert

Svět vnímatelných věcí v obrazech, to jest Zobrazení a názvoslovívšech základních věcí ve světě a činností v životě. Druhé dalekosáhle opravené vydání

The visible world in pictures, that is, a depiction and nomenclature of the basic things that are in the world and in life. Second, extensively revised edition.

 
Origin of the work:
1652 – 1654 Sárospatak

Editions:
  1658 Nuremberg (Latin & German)

1685 Levoča (Latin, German, Hungarian & Czech)

1929 Brno, Veškeré spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. X

1960 Prague, Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. II, collective editors, Czech translation by D. Čapková-Votrubová

1970 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 17 (Latin & German)

Contents:

Originally a Latin textbook bring the Janua to its culmination, later a model textbook for foreign languages. At the same time an illustrated book of life in 151 chapters, which follow on from a preface Lectoribus salutem (Greeting to the reader) that considers the need for true, complete and clear education. Every chapter comprises three parts:

1. pictures on the given theme;

2. legends to the pictures;

3. a description of the associated events of activities.

The positioning of words and rows should match as far as possible. Every word requiring emphasis is marked with a number, and the same number on the picture indicates the thing or living creature. This also fulfilled Comenius’ concept of the approach to teaching. The work surpassed the favourite Janua.

This is a very successful, simplified and shortened Janua linguarum accompanied by illustrations, a kind of instructive dictionary in a small edition. It was issued, corrected, enhanced and reworked countless times. See also the entry for the Lucidarium.

For further study, see also:

J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 17. Prague 1970, pp272-294

J. V. Novák & J. Hendrich, Jan Amos Komenský, jeho život a spisy. Prague 1932, pp495-496

Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. II. Prague 1960, p365

J. A. Komenský, Orbis sensualium pictus, preface. Levoča 1685, pp22-27

Jan Kumpera, Jan Amos Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, pp278-279

Kurt Pilz, Johann Amos Comenius. Die Ausgaben des Orbis Saensualium Pictus. Eine Bibliographie. Nürnberg : 1967.