Sixth “Heritage at Hand at CroAtrium” 2026 event spotlighting Ruđer Bošković’s first work
20 October 2026. 13.00
On 20 October 2026, the National and University Library in Zagreb (NSK) is organising the sixth event of its this year’s Heritage at Hand at CroAtrium programme. Focusing on another gem of the NSK collections, it is spotlighting the legacy of Croatia’s 18th-century genius Ruđer Bošković (Ruggero Giuseppe Boscovich).
Marking the 315th anniversary of the birth of the renowned Croatian mathematician, physicist, astronomer, philosopher, diplomat and poet and 290 years since the publication of his first work, the event is organised as one of the programmes with which the Library will be joining this year’s Croatian Book Month.
The genius of Dubrovnik and his “firstling”
The beginnings of Bošković’s path as a scholar will be presented in a lecture by Dr Ivica Martinović (Devet rasprava mladoga Boškovića prije matematičke profesure u Rimskom kolegiju (1736. – 1740.)), while Dr Mirko Husak’s lecture (Prvo znanstveno djelo Ruđera Boškovića (1736.): ‘De maculis solaribus’ (‘O Sunčevim pjegama’)) will introduce the event participants to Bošković’s first published dissertation (De maculis solaribus exercitatio astronomica) as well as to the method for determining solar rotation by observing sunspots that young Bošković described in it.
The event will also include the exhibition of early Bošković’s works preserved as part of the NSK Manuscripts and Rare Books Collection, one of Croatica’s four most valuable sub-collections.
Young Bošković’s works in Croatia’s national library collection
In addition to Bošković’s 1737 treatise in which he published his record of the transit on 11 November 1736 of Mercury across the Sun (De Mercurii novissimo infra Solem transitu dissertatio habita in Seminario Romano a Gaspare Servanzi), the event attendees will also be able to see the original copy of a work which Bošković published only three months later (Trigonometriae sphaericae constructio).
These early papers stand out among later Bošković’s works in Croatia’s national library collection, since they outline the first steps of the great academic towards discoveries that earned him his place among the giants of science.
Take the opportunity to learn more about them and see their originals by registering at osj@nsk.hr – participation is free of charge!