De Aguilón's treatise on optics is a synthesis of the works of Euclid, Roger Bacon, Kepler, Arab scientist Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), and others. It contains the first discussion of the stereographic process (which Aguilon named), one of the earliest presentations of the red-yellow-blue colour system, an original theory of binocular vision and the first published description of Aguilon's Horopter (Norman). It is also the first published book with a title-page designed by Rubens, and is considered 'a landmark of baroque book illustration' (Becker); Rubens's title-page combines allegory, myth and architecture in a symbolic representation of optics not only as the queen of mathematical sciences, but also as a form of spiritual knowledge (see Bertram, Elevating Optics: The Title Page by Peter Paul Rubens of Franciscus Aguilonius’s Opticorum Libri Sex (1613) in its Historical Context, Explorations in Renaissance Culture (online), volume 42, number 2, 2016).
| Artist |
Theodoor Galle
RKD
|
|---|---|
|
Peter Paul Rubens
RKD
VIAF
Wikidata
|
|
|
Jan II Moretus
|
|
| Title | Frontispiece of the book Francisci Aguilonii Opticorum libri sex. Antverpiae ex officina Plantiniana by François de Aguilón (Antwerp 1613) |
| Date | ca. 1613 |
| Period | 17th century |
| Medium and support | burin engraving AAT |
| Collection | print room |
| Object type |
burin engraving
AAT
reproductive prints AAT illustrations AAT |
| Inventory number | 2015-MG |
| Acquisition credit | unknown |
| Current whereabouts | Work currently not on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/2015-MG |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/9131/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus |
300189808
figures (representations)
AAT
300055866 allegory (artistic device) AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
24B
moon as celestial body
Iconclass
24B4 eclipse of the moon Iconclass 25F22 monkeys, apes Iconclass 25F33(EAGLE) predatory birds: eagle Iconclass 25F35(PEACOCK) ornamental birds: peacock Iconclass 31A231 standing figure Iconclass 31A71 male sex; man Iconclass 31A72 female sex; woman Iconclass 31AA231 standing figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass 31AA235 sitting figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass 48(+431) art (+ copy, copying ~ work of art) Iconclass 49C3 scholar, philosopher Iconclass 49D mathematics Iconclass 49D3 planimetry, geometry Iconclass 49D7 mathematical perspective Iconclass 49D70 'Perspective' (alleg.); 'Prospetiva' (Ripa) Iconclass 49E25 optics Iconclass 49E251 optical instruments Iconclass 92B5 (story of) Mercury (Hermes) Iconclass 92B58(CADUCEUS) caduceus (staff with two snakes, attribute of Mercury) Iconclass 92C2 (story of) Minerva (Pallas, Athena) Iconclass |
| School / Style | Baroque AAT |
|
Do you have any suggestions, questions or information about this work? Write us, collectie.msk@stad.gent |