Armchair Travel During the Renaissance Via Maps, Literature, Travelogues, and Encyclopedias (DRAKE HALL)

“I will go bounding over all the seas, more secure aboard my maps than aboard ships.” (Ludovico Ariosto, 1513) Vicarious experiences of different cultures, landscapes, and adventures became increasingly popular in 16th-century Europe thanks to the rediscovery of Ancient and Medieval manuscripts and their wide dissemination in print. Participants will explore how people experienced the world through maps (Ptolemaic atlases), literature (The Divine Comedy and Orlando Furioso), travelogues (The Travels of Marco Polo), and images from encyclopedias (the Nuremberg Chronicle and Munster’s Cosmographia). Discussions will spark your imagination and inspire your own armchair travel adventure. 

*Bryan Dennis earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a specialization in the ethnohistory and sociopolitical organization of New World cultures. His primary interests now are ancient, medieval, and Renaissance literature, as well as natural philosophy. Bryan is a retired business and strategy consultant for nonprofits and small businesses. 

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures.
• If you do not have a Spring 2026 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout.
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable.

Recommendations

• Armchair Travelers, The Renaissance writers and humanists Petrarch and Boccaccio turned to geography to understand the works of antiquity, Toby Lester, 2009.  Available at The American Scholar: https://theamericanscholar.org/armchair-travelers/  
• The Printing Revolution in Renaissance Europe, Mark Cartright, 2020 https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1632/the-printing-revolution-in-renaissance-europe/ 
• Ptolemaic Atlases in the Library of Congress: A Resource Guide, Library of Congress, with digital collections gallery (https://guides.loc.gov/ptolemaic-atlases/introduction).