Gelijkheid van dagen en nachten tijdens zonnewende 1706

This is an engraving by Sébastien Leclerc I, made at an unknown date, showing an astronomical diagram representing the equinox. The image is made by incising lines into a copper plate, which is then inked and printed onto paper. This process, developed in the 15th century, allowed for the relatively easy reproduction of images, and the dissemination of knowledge, playing a crucial role in the scientific revolution. The thin lines are precise, but their arrangement to present a complex concept such as the passage of the sun and the rotation of the earth, would require extensive knowledge and skill. The diagram shows how the earth's tilt causes day and night to be of equal length during the equinox, and would have been aimed at educating a public eager to understand the new science. Consider the labor involved, from the mining of copper to the skilled work of the engraver. The print speaks volumes about the interplay of knowledge, craft, and the burgeoning culture of scientific inquiry.