Portret van Sebastian Münster 1597 - 1599

Robert Boissard's portrait of Sebastian Münster, made in the late 16th or early 17th century, captures the essence of a Renaissance scholar through potent symbols. Note the hourglass and the pair of compasses on the table. Münster was not only a cosmographer, as the inscription above his head tells us, but also a master of time and space. Consider how time is measured; the hourglass, a classic memento mori, also speaks to the fleeting nature of knowledge. Like the philosophers of ancient Greece and Rome, Münster is portrayed with the tools of geometry. These compasses, used to inscribe circles, echo the celestial spheres, suggesting mankind’s ambition to chart the heavens. This desire to measure and understand the cosmos is seen throughout history. One sees a similar yearning in the geometric designs of Islamic art or even in the mandalas of Buddhist traditions. Such symbols engage us on a deeply subconscious level, tapping into our collective memory of humanity’s quest for understanding and knowledge. As they reappear over time, they evolve. They reflect our changing worldviews and yet also remain a potent and reassuring bridge to our past.