Geometry 16th-17th century

Editor: This is "Geometry," an engraving by Johann Sadeler I from around 1600. It shows a regal woman using drafting tools on a globe, surrounded by animals and classical ruins. What strikes me is how she represents not just geometry, but also power and knowledge, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Indeed. Consider the period. The printing press had amplified the power of images, and allegories like this one helped solidify the importance of geometry within a worldview increasingly shaped by scientific understanding and exploration. It reinforces a cultural narrative of geometry’s importance, doesn't it? Editor: So it's almost like propaganda, but for math? Curator: Precisely! It's about shaping public perception. We see the tools of measurement alongside classical symbols, all meant to give Geometry, and by extension the knowledge it represents, a sense of authority and timelessness. How might the museum setting change our interpretation of this image, do you think? Editor: It makes me wonder about the role of institutions in giving art, and knowledge, its value. Thanks, that's helpful.