My research focuses on the Alexander von Humboldt atlas pittoresque du voyage: "Vues des Cordillères". I am interested in the history and uses of "atlas", and how the concept "atlas" plus "pittoresque" set up a new way of travelling in an artistic manner in the nineteenth-century, encouraging the connection between artists and scientists.
I would recommend to contact the "Leibniz Institut für Länderkunde" in Leipzig, Germany. They have some researchers, who are specialized into the history of geography. Could be worth asking for someone, who has worked on Humboldt.
Initially, I would contact there Ute Wardenga.
Bernd Wiese from the University of Cologne is specialized on Humboldts drawings
Many thanks to all!
But I am particularly looking for any research focused on the "Atlas Pittoresque" as a travelogue format from a historical perspective...
Another thought: Already the baroque books of Athanasius Kircher were written for the eye, I think of "Mundus Subterraneus" with a lot of maps and charts and diagrams. Maybe the tradition of picturesque geographical works goes deeper in time. - I also remember Jean-Pierre-Louis-Laurent Houel: "Voyage Pittoresque des Isles de Sicile, de Malte et de Lipari", 1785. A very nice work where you think at first glance that only the pictures are important, but Houel was also a very good observer, so the texts provide deep insights, too. You find both works in full texts on various digital libraries, such as bnf.gallica.fr
Thanks!
The picturesque travel produces a new dialogue in art and literature; most of 19th-Century travelers were scientists (Humboldt was) but they reproduced beautiful pictures, and there were also artists (like Jean-Pierre Huoël) who traveled in a scientific way, analyzing the natural world, depicting the atmospheric effects or zoological drawings.
I think this is the most interesting point, this mutual undestanding between text and image, art and science. I argue in my thesis dissertation that all these issues are present in the Atlas Pittoresque.
I know that there is a research project going on at the University in Potsdam, Germany, in which they study Humboldt's travel diaries. One PhD project looks e.g. at the landscape respresentations in these diaries. Here's a link to the project's website: http://www.uni-potsdam.de/humboldtart/ Sadly, this is all in German, but if you click, you'll find the names of the scholars, and from there you could go on, if it is still relevant to you. Best - Vera
Thanks Vera! I know the project, Ottmar Ette is the best connoisseur of Humboldt diaries so that will be a great job! It's a pity the web is all in German, as you say...
This is Interesting!
I am very fond of reading early 16th century original works that have been republished. Amongst these you can find the complete works of the french surgeon Ambroise Paré, recently published in France by Éditions Louis Pariente (I bought these at low cost on eBay).
Among Ambroise Paré's original works, you'd find interest in reading his descriptions of travels asround the World,, as a Renaissance Humanist.
This marvelous little book, first published in 1585, entitled «Des Monstres, des Prodiges , Des Voyages» was also published in Paris in 1964, by Livre Club du Livraire, and I recommend the reading.
Hope this was useful,
Kind regards from Portugal,
Maria
Much interested in following the results of your research !
Yes, there is a doctoral dissertation in the school of architecture at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México written by Amaya Larrucea Garritz and soon to be published in book form that would be helpful to you. She is interested in the formation of an imaginary that relates Mexico to its landscape and goes into detail on the topic of the atlas and the stamps that were reproduced from it afterwards.