The Southern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe by Albrecht Durer

The Southern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe 1515 (probably printed 17th century)

print, woodcut

ink drawing

germany

pen drawing

print

pen illustration

pen sketch

old engraving style

personal sketchbook

ink drawing experimentation

pen-ink sketch

woodcut

pen work

sketchbook drawing

This woodcut, *The Southern Hemisphere of the Celestial Globe*, was designed by the renowned German artist Albrecht Dürer in 1515. It depicts the constellations of the Southern Hemisphere with a level of detail and accuracy typical of the Renaissance. Dürer was known for his meticulous observations and mastery of perspective, and this work demonstrates his understanding of astronomy and his interest in the natural world. This artwork, now held by the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is a testament to the ongoing interplay between science and art throughout history.

Comments

minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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The southern sky was largely uncharted until the 16th and 17th centuries when Italian and Dutch explorers began sailing the southern seas. This woodcut, published on the eve of this age of exploration, records the basic state of knowledge in 1515, which was rather spare. Uncharted skies presented great challenges to navigators, since they needed accurate star maps to determine their longitude at sea. Exploration prompted a great push on the part of sailors, merchants, and publishers, particularly in Holland, to map the unknown skies.