Astronomy c. 1597

Editor: This etching, titled "Astronomy" by Cornelis Jacobsz. Drebbel, really captures a sense of wonder. The allegorical figure is seated on a globe, gazing up at the stars, while an astronomer peers through a telescope. What do you see in this image? Curator: I see the embodiment of knowledge through symbolic gestures. The woman, adorned with lunar and solar symbols, represents cosmic understanding. The astronomer behind her suggests the new instruments of science revealing the heavens. Notice how she sits *on* a celestial sphere? Editor: Yes, and she holds a pointer, as if mapping the stars. What does it mean? Curator: It speaks to the continuity of human curiosity. From ancient mythologies, symbolized by her adornments, to the emerging scientific methods of Drebbel's time. The stars, and our relationship to them, connect past and future. Editor: It’s fascinating how the artist blends these old and new symbols. Curator: Indeed. It makes you ponder how much our understanding of the universe shapes our cultural memory.