The Astronomer (painting)
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The Astronomer is a painting finished about 1668 by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is oil on canvas, 51cm x 45 cm, and is on display at the Louvre, Paris[1].
Portrayals of scientists were a favourite topic in 17th century Dutch painting[1] and Vermeer's oeuvre includes both this astronomer and the slightly later The Geographer. Both are believed to portray the same man[2][3][4].
The astronomer's profession is shown by the celestial globe (version by Jodocus Hondius) and the book on the table, Metius's Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae[2][3][4]. Symbolically, the volume is open to Book III, a section advising the astronomer to seek "inspiration from God" and the painting on the wall shows the finding of Moses – Moses may represent knowledge and science ("learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians"[5]).
The man portrayed in this painting and The Geographer could be Anton van Leeuwenhoek. [6]
[edit] References
- ^ a b L'Astronome ou plutôt L'Astrologue (French). Atlas: the database of the exhibited works of art. Musée du Louvre. Retrieved on October 14, 2006.
- ^ a b Bailey, Anthony (2001). Vermeer: A View of Delft, 165-170. ISBN 0-8050-6930-5.
- ^ a b Bailey, Martin (1995). Vermeer, 102-104.
- ^ a b van Berkel, Klaas. "Vermeer and the Representation of Science", The Scholarly World of Vermeer, 13-14. ISBN 90-400-9825-5.
- ^ Acts 7:22
- ^ Van Berkel, K. (February 24 1996). Vermeer, Van Leeuwenhoek en De Astronoom. Vrij Nederland (Dutch magazine), p. 62–67.
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