Prof. Dr. h.c. Eduard Imhof zum 60. Geburtstag

Summary

This commemorative article marks the sixtieth birthday of Eduard Imhof, director of the Institute of Cartography at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Trained as a surveying engineer, Imhof uniquely combined mathematical precision and analytical reasoning with exceptional artistic talent. His maps rank among the finest cartographic works for their accuracy, intellectual synthesis, visual clarity, and beauty. He advanced Switzerland’s tradition of vivid terrain representation while renewing thematic cartography through careful selection, graphic design, and effective use of color. The article argues that his achievements demonstrate how cartographic problems cannot be solved through scientific analysis alone but also require artistic judgment. Honored by the University of Zurich and international institutions, Imhof is celebrated as an influential teacher, scholar, artist, and leading figure in modern cartography.