Vallende sterren Possibly 1899

Karl Kostersitz made this image, ‘Falling Stars,’ a book spread with corresponding pictures, in Austria, sometime around 1900. The images reflect a moment of intense scientific curiosity, when new technologies made the cosmos seem increasingly knowable. We can consider this image in light of Austria’s scientific institutions, which were supported by a strong, though weakening, imperial state. In the late 19th century, astronomy was shedding its associations with astrology, as new technologies, like photography, offered more "objective" images of space. The astronomers, like Kostersitz, who used these technologies, positioned themselves as objective analysts of the cosmos. The image invites questions about the public role of science. Was this primarily for the scientific community or a broader public? What was the relationship between scientific progress and Austrian nationalism? Historical research in the archives of Austrian scientific institutions might help us understand how art and science reflected larger cultural and political movements at this time.