Athanasius Kircher: A Renaissance Man and the Quest for Lost Knowledge

by Joscelyn Godwin

Athanasius Kircher (1602–80) stands out as one of the last all-encompassing minds. For this true Renaissance man, the whole world was a glorious appearance of God waiting to be explored.

Kircher was a Jesuit and an archaeologist, a phenomenal linguist and an avid collector of scientific instruments. He deciphered archaic languages, experimented with alchemy and music therapy, optics and magnetism. Egyptian mystery wisdom, Greek, Cabbalistic and Christian philosophy met on common ground in his work.

Kircher's sumptuous volumes were revered throughout Europe, and his gigantic oeuvre is represented here through striking engravings – most of them reprinted for the first time – together with annotations and an introduction to Kircher's life and work.

Genres: Art, History, Biography, Alchemy, Philosophy, Esoterica

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Composer, musicologist and translator, known for his work on ancient music, paganism and music in the occult.

Reviews

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting book on Athanasius Kircher. If you're going to be wrong about everything, be wrong spectacularly and make a lot of interesting drawings in the process.

[Christian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather short and cursory exposition of main themes of Kirchers work. Somewhat spearheading the research in its days, but now to short ad behind other, bigger works on Kircher. Still recommendable, especially for the multitude of images from Kircher's original works. Be cautious though of Godwin's subtextual agenda, only emerging here and there, providing the unprepared reader with some odd remarks on atlantis and the likes.

[Bobby Daugherty · Rating 3 out of 5]

He seems to have invented the bull horn. Most of his other work is esoteric and outdated.

[Iván Méndez González · Rating 4 out of 5]

ineludible... de todas las formas posibles