Astronomie 1528 - 1583

Etienne Delaune created this engraving, "Astronomie," likely in the latter half of the 16th century. The composition centres on a female figure, allegorically representing astronomy, set against a densely ornamented background. Notice the symmetrical arrangement of foliage, mythical creatures, and astronomical instruments. The artist’s meticulous technique brings a certain tension; the contrast between the rigid, formal structure and the whimsical, fluid lines of the decorative elements. This tension can be interpreted through a structuralist lens. The formal elements are not merely decorative but function as signs within a larger system of meaning. The balance between classical order and Mannerist extravagance mirrors the intellectual climate of the time, as Europe navigated the shift from Renaissance humanism to the scientific revolution. Consider, for example, how the figure's classical contrapposto stance is juxtaposed with the fantastical snails with wings; such juxtapositions are not arbitrary but indicative of a world where traditional knowledge is being questioned and transformed. This visual strategy destabilizes established meanings, reflecting a broader cultural engagement with new ways of thinking about the cosmos. Delaune uses line and form to illustrate a period of epistemic transition.