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Theodor Zwingers Theatrum vitae humanae

Abstract

The Theatrum Vitae Humanae is perhaps the most comprehensive compilation of knowledge ever achieved by a single human being in the Early Modern Period. It was first printed in 1565, and repeatedly re-issued until a final edition, revised by the Jesuit Lorenz Beyerlinck, appeared in 1707. If we consider the number of editions and copies in European libraries, its long editorial history and the explosiveness conferred on the book by Catholic censorship, it becomes clear that the Theatrum humanae vitae (as the title of 1586 edition reads) was certainly one of the most successful early modern compilations of knowledge. This contribution analyses the internal structure of Zwinger's Theater of Knowledge. The main aspects are: How can knowledge be gathered? Which textual materials are used? What can the Theatrum tell us about the practices of the scholarly order and processing of knowledge in the Early Modern Period?