Astronomy 

Gentile da Fabriano painted this fresco, called "Astronomy," during a period when knowledge was meticulously categorized. Here, we see a female figure representing Astronomy, a science then considered part of the quadrivium of learning. Note the way she's depicted; enthroned, fair-skinned, and elegantly dressed. These details reflect the cultural norms of the time, where knowledge and authority were often associated with wealth and masculinity. The book and the armillary sphere, tools of her trade, symbolize the blend of empirical observation and theoretical understanding that defined scientific inquiry. It's interesting to consider how women, often excluded from formal education, found ways to engage with intellectual pursuits. This image is not just a representation of a field of study, but also a statement about who was deemed capable of mastering it. The fresco invites us to consider the gendered dynamics of knowledge production and the subtle ways in which power and identity intersect.