Bega’s painting is typical of a tradition that represents astrologers and other isolated scholars, disconnected from any concerns of the world outside. Other examples are Carl Spizweg’s Scholar of Natural Sciences ( (uri: http:∕∕www.mam.org∕site∕spitzweg.asp))(1865-70) in the Milwaukee Art Museum, and Jan Vermeer’s The Astrologer ( (uri: http:∕∕www.culture.gouv.fr∕public∕mistral∕joconde_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_1=AUTR&VALUE_1=VERMEER Johannes&DOM=All&REL_SPECIFIC=1&IMAGE_ONLY=CHECKED))(1668) in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The 17th-century paintings are from the days when astrology was synonymous with astronomy, and today we could say that an astronomer like the ones painted lived in an “ivory tower.”
Date
01/01/2004
Citation
Murdin, P. 2004, Astronomy Education Review, 3(1), p.178–179
