Highlighting scientific efforts to prove the spherical earth theory over the millennia, the Louvre Abu Dhabi will organize the "Globes: Visions of the World" exhibition in cooperation with the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF) (French National Library) on March 23.
The exhibition will display rare maps, scientific instruments and globes in the French collections. It will tell the story of views and theories on the spherical earth from astrological, geographic, religious, scientific and philosophical perspectives.
It also allows visitors to discover the history of the world's spherical representations, as well as the scientific instruments that have been used from ancient times until today, through 160 pieces from the BnF and other borrowed items, reported the German news agency.
The exhibition offers more than 40 globes, rare archaeological artifacts, manuscripts, printed manuscripts and unique maps, taking the visitors back to 2500 years of science and world representation.
The exhibition is curated by Catherine Hofmann, chief curator at BnF, and Francois Nawrocki, deputy director at Bibliotheque Sainte-Genevieve.
Manuel Rabate, director of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: “The exhibition will introduce our guests to historical artifacts, including some of the oldest globes and astrolabes from the Islamic world that have interconnected the world from ancient times to the present day.”
The collection on display echoes Louvre Abu Dhabi’s ethos to narrate the story of mankind through wonderful loans from “Bibliotheque nationale de France”, “Musee du Louvre”, “Musee des arts et métiers”, “Chateau de Versailles and Centre Pompidou.”
Hofmann said that "Globes: Visions of the World” is an exceptional opportunity to show together the most precious and rare globes and spheres of the French collections. It also features the theories that saw light in the Mesopotamian and ancient Mediterranean world, along with the fundamental contributions of Arab science.
She explained: “The exhibition focuses on the ancient world, where the Greek scientists and philosophers in the 6th century BC figured a world of spherical planets and stars. Aristotle promoted the circular shadow of the earth, which confirms the ‘world has a spherical form’ hypothesis. The first terrestrial and celestial spheres were produced in the 4th century BC. Among the oldest pieces in the exhibition would be a small celestial sphere, of a 4.6 cm diameter, dating back to 200 years BC.”
The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to explore rare archaeological remains such as the famous Bianchini celestial sphere of the Louvre Paris, many Roman coins and Arabic or Latin manuscripts.
