The Astronomer (painting)

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The Astronomer is a painting finished about 1668 by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is oil on canvas, 51cm x 45 cm, and is on display at the Louvre, Paris[1].

Portrayals of scientists were a favourite topic in 17th century Dutch painting[1] and Vermeer's oeuvre includes both this astronomer and the slightly later The Geographer. Both are believed to portray the same man[2][3][4].

The astronomer's profession is shown by the celestial globe (version by Jodocus Hondius) and the book on the table, Metius's Institutiones Astronomicae Geographicae[2][3][4]. Symbolically, the volume is open to Book III, a section advising the astronomer to seek "inspiration from God" and the painting on the wall shows the finding of Moses – Moses may represent knowledge and science ("learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians"[5]).

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b L'Astronome ou plutôt L'Astrologue (French). Atlas: the database of the exhibited works of art. Musée du Louvre. Retrieved on 2006-10-14.
  2. ^ a b Bailey, Anthony (2001). Vermeer: A View of Delft, 165-170. ISBN 0-8050-6930-5.
  3. ^ a b Bailey, Martin (1995). Vermeer, 102-104.
  4. ^ a b van Berkel, Klaas. “Vermeer and the Representation of Science”, The Scholarly World of Vermeer, 13-14. ISBN 90-400-9825-5.
  5. ^ Acts 7:22


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