Galilée 1862

Félix Bracquemond created this print of Galilée using etching and drypoint. Bracquemond was at the center of a revival of etching in France in the 1860s, and was deeply influenced by the Spanish artist Goya. During this time, portraiture was experiencing a shift from idealized representations to more realistic and psychologically probing depictions. This image captures Galileo Galilei, the Italian astronomer and physicist whose advocacy of heliocentrism challenged the established geocentric views of the universe, and the religious doctrine of the time. Bracquemond’s detailed rendering emphasizes Galileo’s intellectual intensity. His gaze is piercing, set off by the beard and traditional 17th-century collar. We are invited to consider the complex relationship between science, faith, and individual conviction. The choice to depict a historical figure known for his challenges to conventional wisdom suggests Bracquemond's own interest in questioning and exploring new perspectives, reflecting the broader intellectual currents of his time.