Vinden van het middelpunt van een gegeven cirkel 1669

This engraving, "Finding the Center of a Given Circle," by Sébastien Leclerc, crafted with ink on paper, presents us with more than just a geometric problem. The circle, a form seen throughout history, symbolizes the eternal, the infinite, the divine. Its perfect, unbroken line has captivated minds across cultures, from ancient sun worship to Renaissance cosmological diagrams. Note how Leclerc nests it above a landscape to show the connection of mathematics to the natural world. The lines intersecting within the circle to define the center remind us of the compass, an instrument of discovery and a symbol of humankind's quest for understanding. One sees echoes of this in sacred mandalas, emblems of wholeness and the self. Yet, here, the geometric abstraction contrasts with the organic, terrestrial scene below. The quest to find the circle's center, in essence, mirrors our search for the self—a psychological journey of locating our own core amidst the chaos of existence. The symbol is a potent reminder of the cyclical nature of knowledge, forever resurfacing and being reimagined across time.