In German. Remarkable for "the most fantasy-rich title page to be found in any German atlas" (Espenhorst). This atlas is, according to the author, Ruhle von Lilienstern, "expressly designed for use in the schools" and was ahead of its time in depicting hydrography and topography without place names and cultural or political features. The author's motivation was to use an effective presentation style for surface terrain. The rendering of relief was particularly innovative and precedent setting. Unfortunately, this atlas was not embraced by teachers, who remained focused on the political aspects of geography. Nonetheless, Ruhle was devoted to military and public geographic education and he had, according to Espenhorst, the goal "to create in the Prussian people the spirit, the will, and the capability to participate in war." The atlas also suffered from flights of fancy on filling in unexplored regions of the earth, a practice which lead to criticism and which detracted from the outstanding physiographic or oro-hydrographic depictions. The author was also one of the first to employ lithography to produce large format atlases. As a general, writer and diplomat, he was very successful. While his success as a cartographer was challenged, his contributions are certainly noteworthy.
pub_note
In German. Remarkable for "the most fantasy-rich title page to be found in any German atlas" (Espenhorst). This atlas is, according to the author, Ruhle von Lilienstern, "expressly designed for use in the schools" and was ahead of its time in depicting hydrography and topography without place names and cultural or political features. The author's motivation was to use an effective presentation style for surface terrain. The rendering of relief was particularly innovative and precedent setting. Unfortunately, this atlas was not embraced by teachers, who remained focused on the political aspects of geography. Nonetheless, Ruhle was devoted to military and public geographic education and he had, according to Espenhorst, the goal "to create in the Prussian people the spirit, the will, and the capability to participate in war." The atlas also suffered from flights of fancy on filling in unexplored regions of the earth, a practice which lead to criticism and which detracted from the outstanding physiographic or oro-hydrographic depictions. The author was also one of the first to employ lithography to produce large format atlases. As a general, writer and diplomat, he was very successful. While his success as a cartographer was challenged, his contributions are certainly noteworthy.
Pub Note
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