Astrology 17th century

This engraving, titled ‘Astrology,’ presents a symbolic tableau of mortality and cosmic understanding. The melancholic figure, draped in cloth, contemplates a skull, while an armillary sphere looms in the background. These symbols, potent in the Renaissance, evoke the ephemeral nature of human life juxtaposed against the eternal, ordered cosmos. Consider the skull, a memento mori, that has appeared in numerous artworks across time, reminding us of our inevitable end. The armillary sphere, on the other hand, represents astronomical knowledge and the celestial order, suggesting a path to understanding our place in the universe. Such symbols, however, are not static. The skull, once a stark reminder of death, evolved into a symbol of introspection and existential inquiry. The armillary sphere, too, transformed from a scientific instrument to a symbol of enlightenment and the quest for knowledge. These symbols speak to us on a deep, subconscious level, evoking existential questions. Their cyclical progression demonstrates how the past continually resurfaces, transformed by each new context.