The Astronomer by Johannes Vermeer of Delft
This image is a reproduction of the 1668 painting by Johannes Vermeer
(1632-1675) now in the Louvre. The painting depicts an astronomer at
his desk, looking at a book and a globe of the celestial sphere. An
astrolabe lies on top of the oriental tapestry on the table. In the
seventeenth century Europe experienced a blossoming of scientific
inquiry thanks to the genius of such luminaries as: Galileo, Decartes,
Robert Hooke, Christian Huygens, and, of course Isaac Newton. In this
work Vermeer captures the passionate dedication of the scientist in
his pursuit to understand the universe around him. More information
on Vermeer is available at
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/verm/hd_verm.htm.