Johannes Amos Comenius (1592-1670) and his depiction of lenses and spectacles in the first children's picture book.
Johannes Amos Comenius (1592-1670) was a Moravian clergyman, teacher, and author. He is recognized as introducing several concepts of modern education. He advanced the views that education should be appropriate to age and development levels and that teaching should make use of everyday sensory experience. One of his many books, Orbis Pictus, followed those concepts. Orbis Pictus, first published in 1657, is hailed as the first children's picture book. Among the many commonplace objects he included in the book were a mirror, spectacles, a telescope, a magnifying lens, and a burning glass.
Goss
David A
DA
School of Optometry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA. dgoss@indiana.edu
D001878:Books, Illustrated / Q000266:history*; D005060:Europe; D005139:Eyeglasses / Q000266:history*; D049670:History, 17th Century; D006801:Humans; D007909:Lenses / Q000266:history*