This Croat was a scientist ahead of his time: exhibition on Marin Getaldić opens at NSK

An exhibition titled "Marin Getaldić – 400 Years Later" has opened at the National and University Library in Zagreb, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the death of one of the most distinguished Croatian scientists of the Renaissance and early modern period. The event drew state officials, including State Secretary Dražena Vrselja and Anuška Deranja Crnokić, director of the Administration for Archives, Libraries, and Museums.

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The exhibition reminds us of the greatness of this Dubrovnik native whose work transcended the boundaries of his time and whose contribution is still recognized today in the European history of mathematics and physics.

Deranja Crnokić emphasized that the exhibition celebrates the legacy of Getaldić, a Dubrovnik native whose scientific work extended beyond his era and continues to be recognized in European mathematical and physics history. She highlighted his broad intellectual horizon and ability to synthesize diverse disciplines into a cohesive research system. The exhibition is praised for its scientific foundation and public accessibility, featuring interactive and multimedia elements that offer insight into Getaldić's thought processes and experimental methods.

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Getaldić's life path and scientific opus testify to the exceptional breadth of his intellectual horizon and the ability to connect different disciplines into a unique research system.

The exhibition's author, Dr. Marijana Borić, a senior research associate at the Department of the History of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HAZU), stated that the aim was not only to present Getaldić's science but also the scientist himself. The program included a dramatic interpretation of Getaldić's texts by Lav Novosel, a student from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Zagreb.

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The richness of Getaldić's scientific work is presented in a modern and understandable way, and the interactive and multimedia content is a special value of the exhibition, allowing visitors direct insight into how Getaldić thought, experimented, and mathematically shaped the results of his research.

This event aligns with the current Croatian Month of Books, which is dedicated to natural sciences, scientific literature, and science popularization under the slogan "From Stories to Discoveries." The opening also featured remarks from Ivanka Stričević, Director-General of the National and University Library, and Academician Vjekoslav Jerolimov from HAZU.

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The goal of the exhibition was not only to present science, but also the scientist behind these works and achievements.