Thomas Corbinian | Firmamentum firmianum | Celestial Map Plate 41 | 14×14 Square pillow

Description

Thomas Corbinian – 17th century mathematician, astrologer, mapmaker & orientalist created beautiful and detailed maps of the heavens. These beautiful throw pillows are statement pieces, creating an earthy, elegant & vintage naturalist vibe. Benedictine Thomas Corbinian, who came from Elchingen in Bavaria, was a professor at the University of Salzburg from 1720 to 1767, where he taught mathematics and astronomy from 1721. Beside hermeneutics and exegesis, he taught Hebrew language at the theological faculty. His best known work is the Firmamentum Firmianum first published 1730 in Frankfurt and Leipzig, a sky atlas with 86 copperplate engravings, dedicated to the Salzburg Prince-Archbishop Leopold von Firmian. In honor to the prince, he renamed the constellation of the northern crown in Corona Firmiana and added two deer antlers – the coat of arms of the Firmian – to the crown. Thomas regarded himself in the tradition of older astronomers, such as Johann Hevelius, who set the constellation of the shield (Scutum Sobiesci) into sky late in the 17th century. It was intended to commemorate the liberation of Vienna from the Turkish siege in 1683, referring to the shield of the Polish King John III. Sobieski (cf. Beatrix Koll, University Library of Salzburg).