Introduction
to the huge Huber Birds eye view map of Vienna, 1777, Introduction
to the huge Huber Birds eye view map of Vienna, 1777,
Notes taken in 1990 and in 2009 on the the Huber Birds eye view map
of Vienna, in the the Austrian National Library in Vienna on Hofburg square,
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien.
Map images below include large high-resolution reproductions, (jpg hi-res).
The author owns a full set of 100% sharp b/w photocopies made in the museum on A3 format. This copying was allowed in 1990 and is probably verboten now.
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach
One day back in 1990 I was doing research for a forthcoming book of mine, studying
in Salzburg and Vienna, focusing on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, his life and especilly
how Mozart interacted with people and institutions in the towns where he lived
and worked. This book was to be a sequel to the book I wrote and published on
the travels of Van Gogh (note 1).
In Vienna I was allowed to handle one of the largest and most important birds eye view maps ever produced in the world, right there in the map reading room of the Austrian National Library in Vienna on Hofburg square, the famous Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien.
A staff member brought the large map sheets out and allowed me to handle these
beautiful, large original sheets by myself. This was an extraordinary privilege and pleasure. And staff
members in Vienna did not hover over me like vultures - which is exactly the
strange event that happened to me in Salzburg - where at the Municipal archives
four distrustful grim looking older guards - who had nothing better to do -
stood there for a full hour or so, all four next to each other, all four dressed
up like in a Mont Python movie, in light brown coloured dust coats, staring
at me incessantly and checking whether I would or would not pocket or destroy
their priceless works of graphic art. All of this procedure took place after
having photocopied my passport and finding out the aim of my scientific mission.
In
Vienna I things ran smoothly and I explained that for my project, a forthcoming
book on the life and travels and towns where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived,
Vienna (Wien) would be a key chapter. Right here in
Vienna, Mozart transformed like a caterpillar grub into a fabulous butterfly,
from a subservient underling of bishops and other bossy, authoritarian rulers
into the first independent composer in the world, a successful self sufficient
businessman, who sold his music (that is, his copied music scores) for a high
market price to parties in the vibrant music culture in Vienna. Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart lived and worked in various addresses in Vienna and therefore a great
aerial map was needed in my book, preferably the best contemporary birds eye
view map as a visual intro. It turned out that that best late 18th century birds
eye map was the one painstakingly produced by Huber in the period 1769 to 1777
and published in 1778. For reproduction reasons I needed crisp sharp
photocopies in 100% size, taken from the original 18th century sheets. Not black
and white photographs - as those tend to be small, expensive and fuzzier, and
sometimes slanted at an angle and thus resulting in a lesser quality.
To my amazement my request for making photocopies was immediately OK-ed in 1990. They had a large b/w photocopying machine right there in the library map room. The hinged top was taken off and the copier, with a flat top, was set to print 100% size prints (thus 1 on 1 true size) on large paper sheets in A3 size (420 x 594 mm = 42 x 59.4 cm). Then the big original 18th century large map sheets were moved in steps across the machine top and series of prints were thus made of overlapping sections of map sheets and Flash! the copies were made. Scanning across all originals I received about 30 prints in A3 size. This way I owned at minimal cost a number of high quality 100% size sets. I decided to only ask for photocopies of the one presentation sheets and of the two inner city sheets. And not of all 24 sections.
Hibernation
Time went on. Spring turned into fall and ill winter winds howled year after year in the bleak streets of Amsterdam (etc). The publisher for whom I did the original book research in Salzburg and Vienna went into bankruptcy. The Mozart project fell into deep, deep almost fatal hibernation. All of the photocopied Huber map sheets sat somewhere forlorn on a dusty shelf at my home for the next 19 years. No book on Mozart was published. All of the angels cried, moaned and whispered. In my Author web site page I wrote a call to arms, addressed to publishers, to get on their feet and publish my wonderful book, the text of which has been finished in Dutch. All to no avail.
Resuscitation
Then in 2009 on a conference in Amsterdam on atlases and maps, specifically on the Atlas Blaeu - Van der Hem Atlas project page, I ran into Magister Jan Mokre. Dr. Jan Mokre wrote his PhD thesis on the Huber map and is currently head of the Atlas sectrion of the Austrian National Library in Vienna. I mentioned my interest in the Huber map and the photocopying project in the print room in 1990. He said he was amazed that this caper was ever OK-ed by the print room staff back then - and stated he would not take action if I would publish the image results. (note 2)
Then I googled the Huber map and found out that NOTHING was available on the Internet - neither in text or in image. The Huber map project was all but invisible. So I picked up courage, took the A3 sheets out and arranged them at home in overlapping jig-saw fashion so the original full size was reconstructed again. What you see on this page are photographs of those overlapping photocopied sheets and also some single images of single A3 sheets - to wow you about the original quality. Al in all this now forms the Internet birth of the Huber map.
Three images are avaliable here:
1. A big time introduction F sheet to the project. The introdution sheet states, in my English translation: "This work is justly the only and first in the world, so close to nature, made in the indicated scale, the original map is to be seen in the Royal and Imperial library, every thing having its correct place, measure and proportional height (...) This whole work consistying of 24 sections is shown all together in sheet Z (...) everything as clear as it looked like in the years 1769 to 1777 (...) so that citizend and visitors may find their way (...) Printed by permission of... (etc)". See note 3.
2. The map coded P representing the western section, with the Karlskirche (the fabulous Carolus Borromaeus Church).
3. The map coded Q representing the western section, with the St Stephansdom, Burgplatz, Auf dem Hoff, Auf dem Hochen Marck.
Technical information in English:
This map is filed under
number: ALB Lade 185 Kar in the Map collection of the Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek, which is closed due to construction works until the end
of 2009
In our 1992 catalogue (http://www.onb.ac.at/kataloge/index.htm) you find this
map:
Huber, Josef Daniel von : Scenographie ... der kays. königl. Haupt- und
ResidenzStadt Wienn ... vom Jahr 1769 ... - 1777 ... / ... Josep[h] Daniel von
Huber ; etching/engraving by J. Wagner. J. Ebersbach. C.G. Kurtz. Published
by J. Adam . - [Second Edition] . - [Vienna/Wien] , s.a. [1778] . - 1 map on
24 sheets.
Total size 350 x 415 cm, each part 71 x 91 cm
For publication rights please contact the Bildarchiv of the Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek.
1.Author: Huber, Josef Daniel von
2.Author: Wagner, Jakob [Engraver]
3.Author: Ebersbach, Johann Matthias
4.Author: Adam, Jakob (Printer)
Footnote: With Graphic Scale indication (Paris and Vienna Klafter, geometr. Schritte, Rheinland and London Foot / Schuh) - With overview sheet.
Technische Daten auf Deutsch:
Die gesuchte Karte befindet
sich unter der Signatur: ALB Lade 185 Kar in der Kartensammlung der Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek, die jedoch wegen Umbauarbeiten bis Ende dieses Jahres geschlossen
ist.
In unserem Katalog 1992 (http://www.onb.ac.at/kataloge/index.htm) finden sie
die gesuchte Karte:
Huber, Josef Daniel von : Scenographie ... der kays. königl. Haupt- und
ResidenzStadt Wienn ... vom Jahr 1769 ... - 1777 ... / ... Josep[h] Daniel von
Huber ; radirt v. J. Wagner. J. Ebersbach. C.G. Kurtz. Verfertiget v. J. Adam
. - [Zweite Ausgabe] . - [Wien] , s.a. [1778] . - 1 Pl. auf 24 Bl.
Gesamtgr. 350 x 415 cm, je Teil 71 x 91 cm
Für Publikationsrechte ist das Bildarchiv der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek
zuständig.
1.Autor/in Huber, Josef Daniel von
2.Autor/in Wagner, Jakob [Engraver / Stecher]
3.Autor/in Ebersbach, Johann Matthias
4.Autor/in Adam, Jakob (Drucker)
Fussnote: Mit graph. Maßstab (Pariser und Wiener Klafter, geometr. Schritte, Rheinländische und Londoner Schuh) - Mit Skelett.
Above: Huber, Sheet F, introduction text in my English translation: "This work is justly the only and first in the world, so close to nature, made in the indicated scale, the original map is to be seen in the Royal and Imperial library, every thing having its correct place, measure and proportional height (...) This whole work consistying of 24 sections is shown all together in sheet Z (...) everything as clear as it looked like in the years 1769 to 1777 (...) so that citizend and visitors may find their way (...) Printed by permission of... (etc)". See note 3.
Huber map sheet P. The map coded P presents the western section, with the new
Karlskirche (1737, the fabulous Carolus Borromaeus Church by the architect Carlo
Borromeo) in the left hand upper section, way outside the city ramparts. Half
a century before, the Viennese has been good (1683) in keeping the Turkish troops
out. Aftre the battle they discovered coffee in their encampments (see under:
Addictive drugs. See also under: The Age of enlightenment).
Huber sheet coded Q representing the western section, with the St Stephansdom, Burgplatz, Auf dem Hoff, Auf dem Hochen Marck. Vienna is great!
Below a detail of this map to give an impression of the graphic quality and detail.
What is my aim?
1. I would like to resuccitate the Mozart book project.
With current CD and Internet technology this could become a wonderful introduction to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I wrote an unpublished book manuscript based on several major biographies and the full text book set of Mozart's Collected Letters (published in German). Historical image material from the archives and museums of Salzburg and Vienna has been added. Note: This manuscript awaits a publisher (possibly a book or CD-rom or DVD-publisher). One of the promising items is this extremely large and detailed 18th Century figurative city plan of Vienna, from the collection of the Austrian National Library (Oesterreichische Nationalbibliothek). A full size copy of this print is in the archive of the author. Possibilities for a succesful DVD or CDrom and creating an interactive Vienna & Mozart world are truly exciting.
2. Hubers work is great. I am now presenting the Huber map on the Internet for the first time.
3. If publishers of calendars, art books, postcards etc would like to use my great graphic originals of the map, the materials in the form of sharp photocopies can be had for a price. I insist that publishing rights issues and payments be squared out with the Library, independently from receiving my material.
Technical information in English: this map is filed under
number: ALB Lade 185 Kar in the Map collection of the Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek, which is closed due to construction works until the end
of 2009
In our 1992 catalogue (http://www.onb.ac.at/kataloge/index.htm) you find this
map:
Huber, Josef Daniel von : Scenographie ... der kays. königl. Haupt- und
ResidenzStadt Wienn ... vom Jahr 1769 ... - 1777 ... / ... Josep[h] Daniel von
Huber ; etching/engraving by J. Wagner. J. Ebersbach. C.G. Kurtz. Published
by J. Adam . - [Secons Edition] . - [Vienna/Wien] , s.a. [1778] . - 1 map on
24 sheets.
Total size 350 x 415 cm, each part 71 x 91 cm
For publication rights please contact the Bildarchiv of the Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek.
1.Author: Huber, Josef Daniel von
2.Author: Wagner, Jakob [Engraver]
3.Author: Ebersbach, Johann Matthias
4.Author: Adam, Jakob
Footnote: With Graphic Scale indication (Paris and Vienna Klafter, geometr. Schritte, Rheinland and London Foot / Schuh) - With overview sheet.
Technische Daten auf Deutsch: die gesuchte Karte befindet
sich unter der Signatur: ALB Lade 185 Kar in der Kartensammlung der Österreichischen
Nationalbibliothek, die jedoch wegen Umbauarbeiten bis Ende dieses Jahres geschlossen
ist.
In unserem Katalog 1992 (http://www.onb.ac.at/kataloge/index.htm) finden sie
die gesuchte Karte:
Huber, Josef Daniel von : Scenographie ... der kays. königl. Haupt- und
ResidenzStadt Wienn ... vom Jahr 1769 ... - 1777 ... / ... Josep[h] Daniel von
Huber ; radirt v. J. Wagner. J. Ebersbach. C.G. Kurtz. Verfertiget v. J. Adam
. - [Zweite Ausgabe] . - [Wien] , s.a. [1778] . - 1 Pl. auf 24 Bl.
Gesamtgr. 350 x 415 cm, je Teil 71 x 91 cm
Für Publikationsrechte ist das Bildarchiv der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek
zuständig.
1.Autor/in Huber, Josef Daniel von
2.Autor/in Wagner, Jakob [Engraver / Stecher]
3.Autor/in Ebersbach, Johann Matthias
4.Autor/in Adam, Jakob
Fussnote Mit graph. Maßstab (Pariser und Wiener Klafter, geometr. Schritte, Rheinländische und Londoner Schuh) - Mit Skelett.
Questions and proposals to Drs Kees Kaldenbach.
Published May 28, 2009.
=== === === ===
Note 1. "Pilgrimage through life, Travelling in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh", written by Kees Kaldenbach & Michel Didier, Amsterdam 1990. Also published in the same year in Dutch as "Pelgrimstocht door het Leven, Reizen in de voetsporen van Vincent van Gogh". Amsterdam, 1990.
Note 2. The Huber map became the subject of the PhD study of Jan Mokre. This is an unpublished typescript kept in the university where Dr Mokre graduated. Jan Mokre is currently the head of the Atlas sectrion of the Austrian National Library in Vienna. Thus the keeper of the Huber map. This is poetic justice.
Note 3. Birds eye view maps originated in 1500 in Venice / Venezia in a glorious map made by Jacopo de Barbari. Go to http://www.tridente.it/venetie/fhome.htm and click La veduta.
Might as well lead you to some other fine pages.
The Atlas Blaeu - van der Hem is named after its seventeenth century creator
and owner, the Amsterdam lawyer Laurens van der Hem (1621-1678) who lived, worked
and thrived in what was then the centre of world trade and mapmaking. For VERY
LARGE Hi-res Atlas van der Hem images click on the pages below
For more high quality Atlas Van der Hem - Blaeu images click on the pages below
Start here: Main Atlas project page
Back to Deshima, Japan map
Back to Goa, India map
Back to New York State, Connecticut etc. New Amsterdam map
Back to Drawing of sailors hammock on a ship
Literature:
Atlas van der Hem Catalogue Raisonné ;
http://cartography.geog.uu.nl/research/vanderhem.html
Innocence Abroad: The Dutch Imagination and the New World, 1570-1670 by Benjamin
Schmidt. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. 450 pp.
http://mlq.dukejournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/64/3/389
Publisher of the Atlas van der Hem luxury reprint:
http://www.blaeuvanderhem.com
Note 1, see Unesco page
Note 2, map of Amsterdam with dots.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden/auth/zandvliet250rijksten.html
The author Drs Kees Kaldenbach has an active interest in Vermeer. Vermeer painted many wall maps in his paintings. See his 2000+ page web site on Vermeer and Delft at /http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden/
Therefore his interest extends to cartography. Question: Is map reading a man-thing?
Contact information: Private Art Tours, Amsterdam.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kalden/verm/tourmenuENG.html
Drs. Kees Kaldenbach , kalden@xs4all.nl
Haarlemmermeerstraat 83 hs
1058 JS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
telephone 020 - 669 8119
(from abroad NL +20 - 669 8119)
cell phone 06 - 2868 9775
(from abroad NL +6 - 2868 9775)
How to get there (after your booking confirmation!):
- by car: ring road exit S 106 towards the centre, then 1st to the right (paid parking)
- by trams 1 and 17; exit at Surinameplein
- by tram 2; exit Hoofddorpplein.
Adriaen Coorte, by Quentin Buvelot, book & exhibition catalogue.
De Grote Rembrandt, door Gary Schwartz, boek.
Geschiedenis van Alkmaar, boek.
Carel Fabritius, Tentoonstellingscatalogus.
Frans van Mieris, Tentoonstellingscatalogus.
From Rembrandt to Vermeer, Grove Art catalogue, book.
Vermeer Studies, Congresbundel.
C. Willemijn Fock: Het Nederlandse interieur in beeld, boek.
Het Huwelijksgeschenk (1934), boek over de egoïstische vrouw, die haar luiheid botviert.
Zandvliet, 250 De Rijksten van de Gouden Eeuw , boek + nieuwe stippenplattegrond!
Ik doe wat ik doe, teksten van Lennaert Nijgh , boek + cd
Het Rotterdam Boek, boek.
Bouwen in Nederland 600 - 2000, boek.
Hollandse Stadsgezichten/ Dutch Cityscape, exhib. cat.
Zee van Land / over Hollandse Polders (NL) boek
Sea of Land / about Dutch Polders (English) bookTEFAF 2008 art fair
Updated October 25, 2016.