Astronomy 

This gilded bronze sculpture of Astronomy was crafted by Giambologna, who died in 1608. Giambologna was working in Florence during a time of great scientific curiosity but also rigid social structures. In “Astronomy,” we see a female figure, nude, leaning pensively on what appears to be a celestial globe. During the Renaissance, the nude female form was often used to represent abstract ideas. Here, Giambologna uses that tradition, but he also complicates it. Is this Astronomy as an idea, a concept? Or is it a representation of a woman who embodies knowledge and learning? The sculpture invites us to consider the role of women in the pursuit of knowledge and the ways in which their bodies were often used—and sometimes restricted—in the service of intellectual and artistic expression. The sculpture then becomes a point of reflection on gender, knowledge, and representation.