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Description: | OPERE / DEL / GALILEO / VOLUME PRIMO.
Above Galileo the two putti illustrate two aspects of astronomy. The putto on the left holds a hinged rule with a quadrant arc, similar to a device invented by Galileo as a mathematical aid, and thus represents the traditional astronomy of charting stars. The putto on the right appears to be holding a telescope, albeit one that looks somewhat like a trumpet, and so symbolises the new astronomy of discovering stars with the telescope that Galileo had inititated. A few early telescopes are know to have been trumpet-shaped, including one now in the National Maritime Museum (NAV1547).
Originally the frontispiece to the collected works of Galileo.
The image was first used as the frontispiece to Galileo's 'Istoria e Dimonstrazioni intorno all Machie Solari' (Rome, 1613) and again for 'Il saggiatore' (Rome, 1623).
Box Title; Prints Small Size & Gabb Portraits
caption: Galileo Galilei Linceo Filosafo E Matematico del Ser. mo Gran Duca di Tosca | Publisher: | "http://collections.rmg.co.uk/" | Rights holder: | "Royal Museums Greenwich" | Subjects: | Gabb Collection prints | Source: | Royal Museums Greenwich | Identifier: | http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections... | Go to resource |
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