DESCRIPTION: Finely engraved Ptolemaic armillary sphere. This early engraving served as the source for a later similar image with celestial and terrestrial globes, published by Citoyen (Citizen) Berthelon in Paris ca. 1799, for the "Nouvelle Edition" of the Atlas Modern Portatif.
An armillary sphere is a model of objects in the sky consisting of a spherical framework of rings, centered on the Earth or the Sun, that represent lines of celestial longitude and latitude and other astronomically important features such as the ecliptic. As such, the armillary sphere differs from a celestial globe, which is a smooth sphere whose principal purpose is to map the constellations.
With the Earth at the center, an armillary sphere is known as a Ptolemaic sphere. With the sun at center, it is known as a Copernican sphere.
PUBLICATION DATE: 1777
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: World
BODY OF WATER: N/A
CONDITION: Good.
Bottom margin trimmed close to neatline. On watermarked laid paper.
COLORING: Old hand color.
ENGRAVER: Unknown
SIZE: 9
" x
7 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 1
PRICE: $100
ADD TO CART
|