Theaterdecor 1637

This print by Stefano della Bella presents the stage design for "Le Nozze degli Dei Favola," performed in Florence. Dominating the scene are two globes suspended in the air, symbols freighted with the weight of Renaissance ambition and discovery. These spheres, representing the Old and New Worlds, recall the celestial globes of antiquity, embodying cosmic order and earthly dominion. Consider how these spheres differ from those in Ptolemaic maps, where the Earth is the center. Here, they symbolize a new, expanded world view, ripe with potential and also fraught with colonial implications. Think of maps, reappearing throughout history, from ancient Roman itineraries to modern atlases. They reflect not just geographical knowledge but the psychological desire to chart and control our surroundings. The emotional resonance of these globes lies in their representation of knowledge, power, and the boundless human drive to explore, and possess.