Assembly of male and female scholars gathered around an open book, in the middle ground a man holds aloft an armillary sphere, another group of scholars in the background 1510 - 1532

This engraving, "Assembly of male and female scholars gathered around an open book, in the middle ground a man holds aloft an armillary sphere, another group of scholars in the background," was created by Marco Dente. The composition is split into distinct spatial zones, each populated by figures engaged in various forms of intellectual pursuit. The foreground exhibits scholars intensely focused on open books, creating a sense of grounded study. This contrasts with the midground, where a figure holds an armillary sphere, elevating the theme to cosmological contemplation. The background contains more scholars, some standing in front of architectural features. Dente's careful attention to detail and use of light and shadow creates a dynamic visual field that invites you to contemplate the nature and pursuit of knowledge. The print’s structured arrangement of figures and objects challenges us to think about the Renaissance understanding of the world as a combination of earthly and heavenly knowledge.