Text title p93
Verso of above star chart p94
CELESTIAL CHART
CONSTELLATIO XXXV Transitus Israel [Parting of the Red Sea formerly Eridanus.]
Good Condition, RARE. Original copper engraving with original hand tinting. The brighter stars are elegantly highlighted in gold. On AM? watermarked laid paper.
Latin, Greek & German text on verso pertaining to plate /constellatio xxxvi (see above)
Plate size 9 5/8 x 12 3/8” (24.5 x 31.5 cm) Ref: DB1/RLN/ a.ans > OVL PRICE CODE D
Depicting the Milky Way and the constellations of:
Saint Anne Cetus
Red Sea Eridanus
St. Joseph Orion
Noah's Ark Argo Navis
King David Canis Major
Noah's Dove Columb
Gideon's fleece Lepus
Published in the magnificent rare celestial Atlas of Julius SCHILLER Coelum stellatum Christianum [second title: Coelum Stellatum Christianum concavum]. Christian Starry Heavens Ad majorem Dei Omnipotentis, sanctaeque eius tam triumphantis, quàm militantis Ecclesiae gloriam obductis gentilium simulachris. . . Andreas Aperger, Augsburg,1627. Schiller’s great Christianised star atlas was a part of the Counter-Reformation attempt to de-paganise the heavens and substitute Judeo-Christian imagery believed to be conducive to piety. For example, The river Eridanus became The Red Sea, and the twelve zodiacal signs became the twelve apostles. Schiller’s new system proved to be too radical a change to overcome traditional nonenclature however, but for astronomers, it contained merit. Schiller’s maps are distinguished by a good graduation of stellar magnitudes, three new stars, and several newly discovered nebulae. “While some of these, seen through newly invented telescopes, have since proven to be ghosts, others proved true, the most interesting of these new objects is the great nebula in Andromeda, now known as M31” Warner.
For a complete description of the atlas vide: Warner,D. J. The Sky Explored: Julius Schiller p. 229
Thanks to: Felice Stoppa, Atlas Coelestis Italy
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