Dimensions: height 321 mm, width 217 mm
Copyright: Rijks Museum: Open Domain
Jan van Munnickhuysen created this print, titled 'Frontispiece from Turris Babel, sive Archontologia', sometime between 1655 and 1701. It delves into the 17th-century European fascination with biblical narratives and universal knowledge. The print visualizes the Tower of Babel, a potent symbol of humanity’s ambition and the ensuing confusion of languages. Figures in classical attire stand alongside the tower, referencing both ancient civilizations and the ongoing quest for understanding. Above, cherubic figures and an all-seeing eye suggest divine oversight, hinting at the complex relationship between human endeavor and divine will. This image reflects the era's intersection of religious inquiry, scientific exploration, and colonial expansion. It invites us to consider the power dynamics inherent in knowledge-seeking, and how cultural narratives shape our understanding of history and identity. In this quest for a singular, unifying knowledge, what is gained, and what is inevitably lost?
Comments
rijksmuseum over 1 year ago
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A frontispiece or engraved title page usually contains a blank space for the title of the book. In this design, the title field, reserved in the standard, is fairly small. The author of this book Athanasius Kircher, a German monk, tried to reconstruct the facts regarding the Tower of Babel and gain an understanding the universal language that must have once existed.
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