Venue: Catholic Church Hall, Eastcliff, Hermanus

R20 for non-members

Time: 16.00 to 17.30

Topic: Le Vaillant

Francois Le Vaillant was the most widely read, translated and influential early traveler to the Cape which he visited from 1781 to 1784. He was also, according to German historian of ornithology, Erwin Stresemann, the first great modern ornithologist, and left a legacy of memorable bird names.
What was not generally known for over two centuries was that his travels were central to the most valuable and innovative map of Africa ever: the King’s Map, produced by Jean-Benjamin de Laborde for King Louis XVI. In 2012, the map was exhibited in the Iziko Museum in Cape Town for the first time in 222 years. Ian Glenn curated the exhibition and has worked widely on Le Vaillant and his legacy.

• In his talk, he will discuss: Le Vaillant’s life and times, his ornithological legacy, and the King’s Map.

Speaker: Ian Glenn

Biography: Dr Ian Glenn studied at the Universities of Natal (as it then was), York (U.K) and Pennsylvania, where he took a PhD in modern British and American Literature. He taught at the University of Cape Town in the English Department and then in the Centre for Film and Media Studies. He is currently a Research Fellow in Communications Sciences at the University of the Free State. He has published widely on South African literary, cultural and political topics. A study of wildlife documentaries in Southern Africa will be published later this year.

Dr Ian Glenn