Rudolf II's Prague

The occult emperor's court

Illustrations

1 images extracted from 1 works

A detailed hand-colored map of the Kingdom of Bohemia, showing topography, rivers, and settlements.

This hand-colored engraving presents a detailed geographical description of the Kingdom of Bohemia as it was understood in 1584. It illustrates the region's complex topography, including its mountain ranges, dense forests, and extensive river systems, alongside numerous fortified towns and cities. The map is adorned with classical Renaissance cartouches, including the Bohemian coat of arms featuring the iconic double-tailed lion.

map

Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, assembled the most extraordinary court in Europe — Arcimboldo painted composite heads from fruits and books, Spranger created Mannerist mythologies of extreme elegance, Hoefnagel documented nature with microscopic precision, and Sadeler engraved it all for circulation.

This was the court where John Dee and Edward Kelley performed angelic conversations, where Kepler calculated planetary orbits, where the boundaries between science, art, and magic did not exist.

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