Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica
Encyclopedia
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica or J. R. Ritman Library is a private Dutch library
founded by Joost Ritman
. The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica brings together manuscripts and printed works in the field of Hermeticism
, more specifically the 'Christian-Hermetic' tradition. However on 13 December 2010 the Dutch newspaper Trouw
reported that the State had removed its share of the collection to the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague for safe keeping.
, mysticism
and western esotericism
, and has great scientific and artistic value.
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica was founded in 1984 by Joost Ritman and is not linked to any public organisation or library. The Bibliotheca does co-operate with international libraries and organizations, such as the Russian Rudomino Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow, the Herzog August Bibliothek
in Wolfenbüttel, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence, and the Biblioteca Marciana
in Venice
allowed this until the first Gulf war in 1993. The bank intervened and the art collection was about to be sold by Christie's
in London. The Dutch government did not want the collection te be dismantled and gave it the status of "protected National heritage". This ensured that sale abroad was not immediately possible.
Thus ING could not immediately sell the collection but had to go to court. The judge ruled that the collection could be sold. Ritman in return organised an international protest, because he feared that his collection would be ruined if it was sold to different buyers. Amongst the advocates to protect the collection was Umberto Eco
. This held off the auction for some time.
In 2000 Ritman sold his company to a Swedish company for 500 million guilders. With the revenues he obtained his entire collection back from ING.
On the advice of the Dutch Council for Culture, the Dutch State in 2005 acquired a cross section of the rare books and manuscripts of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica. The purchase concerns 25 Books of Hours from the Northern Netherlands, 359 manuscripts after 1500, 44 incunables and 3,961 printed books before 1800 (in all 4,389 works). The State paid almost 19 million euro for the works. The works acquired by the State remain in the Bibliotheca and thus continue to be available for scholarly research.
Among the treasures of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica are the Corpus Hermeticum published in 1471, the first illustrated edition of Dante's
La Divina Commedia from 1481, and Cicero
's "De officiis" printed in 1465. The illuminated Rochefoucauld Grail
was sent for sale at Sotheby's
in London in December 2010, for the benefit of the library.
To date, the library holds more than 20,000 volumes: ca. 600 manuscripts (some 70 of which date before 1550), ca. 5,000 books printed before 1800 (some 300 of which are incunables, books printed before 1500) and ca. 15,000 books (primary and secondary sources) printed after 1800.
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica is located on the Bloemgracht in the center of Amsterdam
.
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
founded by Joost Ritman
Joost Ritman
Joost R. Ritman is a businessman from Netherlands. He is the founder of Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica. He was knighted in the Order of the Dutch Lion in 2002.-External links:**...
. The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica brings together manuscripts and printed works in the field of Hermeticism
Hermeticism
Hermeticism or the Western Hermetic Tradition is a set of philosophical and religious beliefs based primarily upon the pseudepigraphical writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus...
, more specifically the 'Christian-Hermetic' tradition. However on 13 December 2010 the Dutch newspaper Trouw
Trouw
Trouw is a Dutch daily newspaper. "Trouw" is a Dutch word meaning "fidelity", "loyalty", or "allegiance", and is cognate with the English adjective "true"...
reported that the State had removed its share of the collection to the National Library of the Netherlands in The Hague for safe keeping.
The library
It contained 20,000 valuable books on Rosicrucianism, alchemyAlchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
, mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
and western esotericism
Esotericism
Esotericism or Esoterism signifies the holding of esoteric opinions or beliefs, that is, ideas preserved or understood by a small group or those specially initiated, or of rare or unusual interest. The term derives from the Greek , a compound of : "within", thus "pertaining to the more inward",...
, and has great scientific and artistic value.
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica was founded in 1984 by Joost Ritman and is not linked to any public organisation or library. The Bibliotheca does co-operate with international libraries and organizations, such as the Russian Rudomino Library for Foreign Literature in Moscow, the Herzog August Bibliothek
Herzog August Bibliothek
The Herzog August Library , in Wolfenbüttel, , known also as Bibliotheca Augusta, it has an international importance for its collection from the Middle Ages and Early modern Europe. The library is overseen by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture...
in Wolfenbüttel, the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana in Florence, and the Biblioteca Marciana
Biblioteca Marciana
The Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana is a library and Renaissance building in Venice, northern Italy; it is one of the earliest surviving public manuscript depositories in the country, holding one of the greatest classical texts collections in the world. The library is named after St. Mark, the...
in Venice
History
Ritman financed his art collection through his corporation 'De Ster' (The Star), that produced plastic tableware. Between 1976 and 1992 Ritman spent 95 million guilders on art objects. The ING GroupING Group
The ING Group is a global financial institution offering retail banking, direct banking, commercial banking, investment banking, asset management, and insurance services. ING is the Dutch member of the Inter-Alpha Group of Banks, a cooperative consortium of 11 prominent European banks...
allowed this until the first Gulf war in 1993. The bank intervened and the art collection was about to be sold by Christie's
Christie's
Christie's is an art business and a fine arts auction house.- History :The official company literature states that founder James Christie conducted the first sale in London, England, on 5 December 1766, and the earliest auction catalogue the company retains is from December 1766...
in London. The Dutch government did not want the collection te be dismantled and gave it the status of "protected National heritage". This ensured that sale abroad was not immediately possible.
Thus ING could not immediately sell the collection but had to go to court. The judge ruled that the collection could be sold. Ritman in return organised an international protest, because he feared that his collection would be ruined if it was sold to different buyers. Amongst the advocates to protect the collection was Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco Knight Grand Cross is an Italian semiotician, essayist, philosopher, literary critic, and novelist, best known for his novel The Name of the Rose , an intellectual mystery combining semiotics in fiction, biblical analysis, medieval studies and literary theory...
. This held off the auction for some time.
In 2000 Ritman sold his company to a Swedish company for 500 million guilders. With the revenues he obtained his entire collection back from ING.
On the advice of the Dutch Council for Culture, the Dutch State in 2005 acquired a cross section of the rare books and manuscripts of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica. The purchase concerns 25 Books of Hours from the Northern Netherlands, 359 manuscripts after 1500, 44 incunables and 3,961 printed books before 1800 (in all 4,389 works). The State paid almost 19 million euro for the works. The works acquired by the State remain in the Bibliotheca and thus continue to be available for scholarly research.
Among the treasures of the Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica are the Corpus Hermeticum published in 1471, the first illustrated edition of Dante's
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
La Divina Commedia from 1481, and Cicero
Cicero
Marcus Tullius Cicero , was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. He came from a wealthy municipal family of the equestrian order, and is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.He introduced the Romans to the chief...
's "De officiis" printed in 1465. The illuminated Rochefoucauld Grail
Rochefoucauld Grail
The Rochefoucauld Grail, also known as Amsterdam, Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica, MS 1, is a three volume illuminated manuscript from the 14th century which was auctioned by Sotheby's in London on 7 December 2010. It realised a hammer price of £2,100,000 A fourth volume is divided between the...
was sent for sale at Sotheby's
Sotheby's
Sotheby's is the world's fourth oldest auction house in continuous operation.-History:The oldest auction house in operation is the Stockholms Auktionsverk founded in 1674, the second oldest is Göteborgs Auktionsverk founded in 1681 and third oldest being founded in 1731, all Swedish...
in London in December 2010, for the benefit of the library.
To date, the library holds more than 20,000 volumes: ca. 600 manuscripts (some 70 of which date before 1550), ca. 5,000 books printed before 1800 (some 300 of which are incunables, books printed before 1500) and ca. 15,000 books (primary and secondary sources) printed after 1800.
The Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica is located on the Bloemgracht in the center of Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
External links
- Bibliotheca Philosophica Hermetica
- http://www.nrc.nl/W2/Nieuws/2000/01/07/Vp/cs.html
- http://www.elsevier.nl/login/login_preview_e.asp?strretpath=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eelsevier%2Enl%2Fmagazine%2Fartikel%2Easp%3Fartnr%3D40037%26jaargang%3D61%26week%3D16
- http://www.cultuur.nl/cultuurnota.html?cult_content4.php?id=110