Geometria, from "The Seven Liberal Arts" 1500 - 1550

Sebald Beham engraved this copperplate, titled "Geometria", as part of a series on the seven liberal arts. Here, Geometria is a winged figure crowned with laurel. She carries a set square, while tools of measurement, such as a compass, a column, and various geometrical objects, surround her. The laurel wreath, an emblem of victory and honor since ancient Greece, denotes mastery and intellectual achievement. This symbol has been passed down through history, adorning emperors and scholars alike. The compass she holds, a tool for creating perfect circles, transcends its practical use, symbolizing precision and cosmic harmony. We can see the compass recurring across the ages. This emblem of exactitude appears in masonic symbolism, and Renaissance art, always evoking the pursuit of underlying order. Consider how geometry, through these symbols, engages our psyche on a deep level, promising understanding and a grasp of cosmic unity. This quest resurfaces continuously, each time colored by the longings and fears of a new era.