Fotoreproductie van een prent naar een schilderij, voorstellende de kruisafname before 1869

This is a photoreproduction of an image of the earth viewed from space at the time of the summer solstice. Produced by an anonymous artist, this print held at the Rijksmuseum, raises questions about the intersection of scientific visualization, artistic representation, and public understanding of our place in the universe. This image, with its simplified representation of continents and atmospheric effects, likely reflects both the scientific knowledge and the aesthetic sensibilities of its time. The French title indicates this comes out of a very specific cultural milieu that was trying to popularize scientific knowledge. Visual codes are employed to convey a sense of the Earth's spherical form, its landmasses, and the presence of clouds or atmospheric phenomena. Understanding the specific historical and cultural context in which this image was created can shed light on the prevailing attitudes toward science, exploration, and our relationship with the natural world. To truly understand this work, we can look at the history of scientific illustration, the popularization of astronomy, and the cultural values attached to representations of the earth.