| Abstrakt: |
Abstract: The focus of this study is on the topographic and travel literature by Italian authors that are part of the Eggenberg book collection kept in Český Krumlov State Castle and Chateau. The goal was to reconstruct the collection of books by Italian authors within the context of the complete Eggenberg book collection. Through a content analysis of these books, this study seeks to depict how Italian writers in the 16th and 17th centuries portrayed the known world and how it was perceived by a noble family settled in the Czech lands. Twenty-five bibliographic items in Italian, French, German and Latin have been identified in the Eggenberg library, primarily from the 17th century, including several books belonging to Princess Maria Ernestine of Eggenberg (1649-1719). While there are fewer preserved books from the 16th century, numerous deperdita indicate Hans Ulrich of Eggenberg’s (1568-1634) interest in the Cinquecento. As a result, the analysis of topographic and travel literature written by Italian authors during the Cinquecento and Seicento periods reveals an intriguing balance and indicates Eggenbergs’ continuous engagement with the geographical genre. Regarding content and authorship, this book collection features a variety of esteemed writers of that era. It contains depictions of different Italian cities and Italy in general, various European countries, travel reports from the Holy Land and the Orient, and historical and geographical representations from the entire known world at that time. This study builds on the extensive research conducted by leading Czech scholars on the Eggenberg book collection and the theme of travel by early modern nobility, firmly entrenched in Czech historical studies. |
