The Orbis Pictus

The World in Pictures, the First Illustrated Schoolbook

Johann Amos Comenius, Charles Hoole

• Publisher: Aeneas Press
• eBook ISBN:
  9785486115073
• Year: 2026

The first illustrated schoolbook in Europe: the world in a hundred and fifty woodcuts, each with the Latin and the vernacular names of what is shown — trades, animals, the parts of a house, the soul, the last judgement. Comenius published it in 1658 and it was in print for two hundred years. The plan of it — a picture, a word, a thing — is the origin of every illustrated primer since. Ten paintings follow, from Jan Steen to Félix Vallotton, showing the everyday world of fields, mills and interiors that Comenius taught children to name.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Copyright
• The Orbis Pictus
• Editor’s Preface
• Comments Upon the Orbis Pictus
• Gen. II. 19, 20
• Gen. II. 19, 20
• The Author’s Preface to the Reader
• The Translator, to All Judicious and Industrious School-Masters
• An Advertisement Concerning This Edition
• I. Invitation. Invitatio
• II. God. Deus
• III. The World. Mundus
• IV. The Heaven. Coelum
• V. Fire. Ignis
• VI. The Air. Aër
• VII. The Water. Aqua
• VIII. The Clouds. Nubes
• IX. The Earth. Terra
• X. The Fruits of the Earth. Terrae Foetus
• XI. Metals. Metalla
• XII. Stones. Lapides
• XIII. Tree. Arbor
• XIV. Fruits of Trees. Fructus Arborum
• XV. Flowers. Flores
• XVI. Potherbs. Olera
• XVII. Corn. Fruges
• XVIII. Shrubs. Frutices
• XIX. Living-Creatures: And First, Birds. Animalia: & Primum, Aves
• XX. Tame Fowls. Aves Domesticae
• XXI. Singing-Birds. Oscines
• XXII. Birds That Haunt the Fields and Woods. Aves Campestres & Sylvestres
• XXIII. Ravenous Birds. Aves Rapaces
• XXIV. Water-Fowl. Aves Aquaticae
• XXV. Flying Vermin. Insecta Volantia
• XXVI. Four-Footed Beasts: And First Those About the House. Quadrupeda: & Primum Domestica
• XXVII. Herd-Cattle. Pecora
• XXVIII. Labouring-Beasts. Jumenta
• XXIX. Wild-Cattle. Ferae Pecudes
• XXX. Wild-Beasts. Ferae Bestiae
• XXXI. Serpents and Creeping Things. Serpentes & Reptilia
• XXXII. Crawling-Vermin. Insecta Repentia
• XXXIII. Creatures That Live as Well by Water as by Land. Amphibia
• XXXIV. River Fish and Pond Fish. Pisces Fluviatiles & Lacustres
• XXXV. Sea-Fish, and Shell-Fish. Marini Pisces & Conchae
• XXXVI. Man. Homo
• XXXVII. The Seven Ages of Man. Septem Aetates Hominis
• XXXVIII. The Outward Parts of a Man. Membra Hominis Externa
• XXXIX. The Head and the Hand. Caput & Manus
• XL. The Flesh and Bowels. Caro & Viscera
• XLI. The Chanels and Bones. Canales & Ossa
• XLII. The Outward and Inward Senses. Sensus Externi & Interni
• XLIII. The Soul of Man. Anima Hominis
• XLIV. Deformed and Monstrous People. Deformes & Monstrosi
• XLV. The Dressing of Gardens. Hortorum Cultura
• XLVI. Husbandry. Agricultura
• XLVII. Grasing. Pecuaria
• XLVIII. The Making of Honey. Mellificium
• XLIX. Grinding. Molitura
• L. Bread-Baking. Panificium
• LI. Fishing. Piscatio
• LII. Fowling. Aucupium
• LIII. Hunting. Venatus
• LIV. Butchery. Lanionia
• LV. Cookery. Coquinaria
• LVI. The Vintage. Vindemia
• LVII. Brewing. Zythopoeia
• LVIII. A Feast. Convivium
• LIX. The Dressing of Line. Tractatio Lini
• LX. Weaving. Textura
• LXI. Linen Cloths. Lintea
• LXII. The Taylor. Sartor
• LXIII. The Shoemaker. Sutor
• LXIV. The Carpenter. Faber Lignarius
• LXV. The Mason. Faber Murarius
• LXVI. Engines. Machinae
• LXVII. A House. Domus
• LXVIII. A Mine. Metallifodina
• LXIX. The Blacksmith. Faber Ferrarius
• LXX. The Box-Maker and the Turner. Scrinarius & Tornator
• LXXI. The Potter. Figulus
• LXXII. The Parts of a House. Partes Domus
• LXXIII. The Stove with the Bed-Room. Hypocaustum Cum Dormitorio
• LXXIV. Wells. Putei
• LXXV. The Bath. Balneum
• LXXVI. The Barbers Shop. Tonstrina
• LXXVII. The Stable. Equile
• LXXVIII. Dials. Horologia
• LXXIX. The Picture. Pictura
• LXXX. Looking-Glasses. Specularia
• LXXXI. The Cooper. Vietor
• LXXXII. The Roper, and the Cordwainer. Restio, & Lorarius
• LXXXIII. The Traveller. Viator
• LXXXIV. The Horse-Man. Eques
• LXXXV. Carriages. Vehicula
• LXXXVI. Carrying to and Fro. Vectura
• LXXXVII. Passing Over Waters. Transitus Aquarum
• LXXXVIII. Swimming. Natatus
• LXXXIX. A Galley. Navis Actuaria
• XC. A Merchant-Ship. Navis Oneraria
• XCI. Ship-Wreck. Naufragium
• XCII. Writing. Ars Scriptoria
• XCIII. Paper. Papyrus
• XCIV. Printing. Typographia
• XCV. The Booksellers Shop. Bibliopolium
• XCVI. The Book-Binder. Bibliopegus
• XCVII. A Book. Liber
• XCVIII. A School. Schola
• XCIX. The Study. Museum
• C. Arts Belonging to Speech. Artes Sermones
• CI. Musical Instruments. Instrumenta Musica
• CII. Philosophy. Philosophia
• CIII. Geometry. Geometria
• CIV. The Celestial Sphere. Sphera Caelestis
• CIV. The Aspects of the Planets. Planetarum Aspectus
• CV. The Apparitions of the Moon. Phases Lunae
• CVI. The Eclipses. Eclipses
• Sphera Terrestris
• Sphera Terrestris
• CVIII. Europe. Europa
• CIX. Moral Philosophy. Ethica
• CX. Prudence. Prudentia
• CXI. Diligence. Sedulitas
• CXII. Temperance. Temperantia
• CXIII. Fortitude. Fortitudo
• CXIV. Patience. Patientia
• CXV. Humanity. Humanitas
• CXVI. Justice. Justitia
• CXVII. Liberality. Liberalitas
• CXVIII. Society Betwixt Man and Wife. Societas Conjugalis
• CXIX. The Tree of Consanguinity. Arbor Consanguinitatis
• CXX. The Society Betwixt Parents and Children. Societas Parentalis
• CXXI. The Society Betwixt Masters and Servants. Societas Herilis
• CXXII. A City. Urbs
• CXXIII. The Inward Parts of a City. Interiora Urbis
• CXXIV. Judgment. Judicium
• CXXV. The Tormenting of Malefactors. Supplicia Malefactorum
• CXXVI. Merchandizing. Mercatura
• Mensurae & Pondera
• CXXVIII. Physick. Ars Medica
• CXXIX. A Burial. Sepultura
• CXXX. A Stage-Play. Ludus Scenicus
• CXXXI. Sleights. Praestigiae
• CXXXII. The Fencing-School. Palestra
• CXXXIII. Tennis-Play. Ludus Pilae
• CXXXIV. Dice-Play. Ludus Aleae
• CXXXV. Races. Cursus Certamina
• CXXXVI. Boys Sport. Ludi Pueriles
• CXXXVII. The Kingdom and the Region. Regnum & Regio
• CXXXVIII. Regal Majesty. Regia Majestas
• CXXXIX. The Soldier. Miles
• CXL. The Camps. Castra
• CXLI. The Army and the Fight. Acies & Proelium
• CXLII. The Sea-Fight. Pugna Navalis
• CXLIII. The Besieging of a City. Obsidium Urbis
• CXLIV. Religion. Religio
• CXLV. Gentilism. Gentilimus
• CXLVI. Judaism. Judaismus
• CXLVII. Christianity. Christianismus
• CXLVIII. Mahometism. Mahometismus
• CXLIX. Gods Providence. Providentia Dei
• CL. The Last Judgment. Judicium Extremum
• CLI. The Close. Clausula
• About the Author