Bibliotheca universalis
Encyclopedia
Bibliotheca universalis was the first truly comprehensive "universal" listing of all the books of the first century of printing. It was an alphabetical bibliography
that listed all the known books printed in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew.
The work included approximately eighteen hundred authors. The authors’ forenames were listed with a reverse index of their surnames. It was intended as an index by subject of all known authors. Gesner listed the writers alphabetically with the titles of their works. He added his own annotations, comments, and evaluations of the nature and merit of every entry.
Gesner followed Johannes Trithemius
’s work of placing works in systems of cataloging. Gesner admired Trithemius’s systems and used them as guidelines and templates; however Gesner carried the idea of cataloging and systems a step further. Theodore Besterman
, in The Beginnings of Systematic Bibliography, suggests that Gerner’s work to organize knowledge was the forerunner of Francis Bacon
’s works and other encyclopedias that followed.
The Pandects had nineteen sections, each devoted to a scholarly discipline and contained dedications to the best scholar printers of Gesner's time. He listed their publications and accomplishments. Gesner made full use of any publishers' catalogues and booksellers' lists which were available in the 16th century that were printed when he was doing his research. Hans Fischer in his book Conrad Gesner (1516–1565) as Bibliographer and Encyclopaedists points out that Gesner made use of printed catalogues supplied by firms like Aldus Manutius
of Venice and Henri Estienne of Paris.
s of Augsburg, the richest family of Europe at the time. The Fuggers attached the condition of employment that he follow Catholicism
. Gesner refused the offer since he was Protestant.
. The Counter Reformation's response took another generation of Catholic scholarship to produce and appeared on the Vatican
press in Rome in 1593 under the programmatic title, Bibliotheca selecta
. This updated "Anti-Gesner" was assembled in 18 books covering the bibliography of the traditional scientific disciplines (Theology, 1-11, Law, 12, Philosophy, 13, Medicine, 14} and the liberal arts, 15-18, by the Mantuan Jesuit humanist
and bibliographer
Antonio Possevino
.
Bibliography
Bibliography , as a practice, is the academic study of books as physical, cultural objects; in this sense, it is also known as bibliology...
that listed all the known books printed in Latin, Greek, or Hebrew.
History
The Swiss scholar Conrad Gesner started to compile this extensive work on Bibliotheca universalis at the age of 25. He first visited as many of the Italian and German libraries as he could find. He published the work in 1545, after some four years of research. It included his own bio-bibliography. His first edition of the Bibliotheca universalis listed about ten thousand titles. Bibliotheca universalis was the first modern bibliography of importance; through it, Gesner became known as the "father of bibliography."The work included approximately eighteen hundred authors. The authors’ forenames were listed with a reverse index of their surnames. It was intended as an index by subject of all known authors. Gesner listed the writers alphabetically with the titles of their works. He added his own annotations, comments, and evaluations of the nature and merit of every entry.
Gesner followed Johannes Trithemius
Johannes Trithemius
Johannes Trithemius , born Johann Heidenberg, was a German abbot, lexicographer, historian, cryptographer, polymath and occultist who had an influence on later occultism. The name by which he is more commonly known is derived from his native town of Trittenheim on the Mosel in Germany.-Life:He...
’s work of placing works in systems of cataloging. Gesner admired Trithemius’s systems and used them as guidelines and templates; however Gesner carried the idea of cataloging and systems a step further. Theodore Besterman
Theodore Besterman
Theodore Deodatus Nathaniel Besterman was a psychical researcher, bibliographer, biographer, and translator. He was the first editor of the Journal of Documentation.Besterman born in Łódź, Poland, but moved to London in his youth...
, in The Beginnings of Systematic Bibliography, suggests that Gerner’s work to organize knowledge was the forerunner of Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Albans, KC was an English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method. He served both as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England...
’s works and other encyclopedias that followed.
Additions
In 1548 Gesner followed with a companion work to Bibliotheca universalis, a large folio, Pandectarum sive Partitionum universalium Conradi Gesneri (Pandectae). This contained thirty thousand topical entries. Each of these entries were cross-referenced to the appropriate author and book, arranged under headings and sub-headings, which were associated with various branches of learning.The Pandects had nineteen sections, each devoted to a scholarly discipline and contained dedications to the best scholar printers of Gesner's time. He listed their publications and accomplishments. Gesner made full use of any publishers' catalogues and booksellers' lists which were available in the 16th century that were printed when he was doing his research. Hans Fischer in his book Conrad Gesner (1516–1565) as Bibliographer and Encyclopaedists points out that Gesner made use of printed catalogues supplied by firms like Aldus Manutius
Aldus Manutius
Aldus Pius Manutius , the Latinised name of Aldo Manuzio —sometimes called Aldus Manutius, the Elder to distinguish him from his grandson, Aldus Manutius, the Younger—was an Italian humanist who became a printer and publisher when he founded the Aldine Press at Venice.His publishing legacy includes...
of Venice and Henri Estienne of Paris.
Faith
Gesner became famous after his publication of Bibliotheca universalis. He received many offers of employment in the educational fields. One such offer came from the FuggerFugger
The Fugger family was a historically prominent group of European bankers, members of the fifteenth and sixteenth-century mercantile patriciate of Augsburg, international mercantile bankers, and venture capitalists like the Welser and the Höchstetter families. This banking family replaced the de'...
s of Augsburg, the richest family of Europe at the time. The Fuggers attached the condition of employment that he follow Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
. Gesner refused the offer since he was Protestant.
Bibliotheca selecta
Gesner's work, with its heterodox principles and advanced Protestant scholarship was a direct challenge to the authority of the Catholic Church which soon banned the work in the Index librorum prohibitorumIndex Librorum Prohibitorum
The Index Librorum Prohibitorum was a list of publications prohibited by the Catholic Church. A first version was promulgated by Pope Paul IV in 1559, and a revised and somewhat relaxed form was authorized at the Council of Trent...
. The Counter Reformation's response took another generation of Catholic scholarship to produce and appeared on the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
press in Rome in 1593 under the programmatic title, Bibliotheca selecta
Bibliotheca selecta
Bibliotheca selecta is a bibliographical encyclopedia by the Jesuit Antonio Possevino, printed in two folio volumes at the Typographia Apostolica Vaticana by Domenico Basa in 1593...
. This updated "Anti-Gesner" was assembled in 18 books covering the bibliography of the traditional scientific disciplines (Theology, 1-11, Law, 12, Philosophy, 13, Medicine, 14} and the liberal arts, 15-18, by the Mantuan Jesuit humanist
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and bibliographer
Bibliographer
"A bibliographer is a person who describes and lists books and other publications, with particular attention to such characteristics as authorship, publication date, edition, typography, etc. The result of this endeavor is a bibliography...
Antonio Possevino
Antonio Possevino
Antonio Possevino was a Jesuit protagonist of Counter Reformation as a papal diplomat and a Jesuit controversialist, encyclopedist and bibliographer...
.