Twee veelvlakken met een torus als uitgangspunt 1568

Jost Amman made this drawing of two polyhedra with a torus as a starting point sometime in the late 16th century. This kind of image was part of a broader cultural interest in mathematics and geometry during the Northern Renaissance. Here, the visual codes of geometry create meaning through their association with precision, order, and rationality. The images comment on the value that institutions such as universities placed on mathematical knowledge. The image also reflects a belief that mathematical principles underpinned the structure of the universe. To fully understand this drawing, one could research the history of mathematics education in the 16th century, examining textbooks, teaching methods, and the social status of mathematicians. This reminds us that art always exists in a social and institutional context.