posted on 10 Jan 2016

Celestial Charts : Antique Maps Of The Heavens by Carole Stott

Looking at the sky at night and trying to make sense of the stars and the patterns they make has been a human obsession from the moment we evolved the capacity to think about ourselves and our place in the outside world. We rather take for granted the advances in astronomy that have taken place in the past two hundred years but until the middle of the twentieth century much of the universe has been a mystery and understanding how the stars related to each other - and to us - was more an exercise of the imagination than a rational process of scientific deduction.

Not surprisingly, myth and story-telling dominated our explanations of the sky at night and these ideas found their way into the pictorial representations that were produced by stargazers and artists alike. Carole Stott's book brings together some of the most astonishing of these celestial charts and many of them are genuinely breathtaking works of art.

Mythical animals and heroes intertwine and pursue their way across the night sky - permanently providing humanity with a never-ending story. The charts are supplemented by my favourites - celestial globes. These were scientific instruments in their time and allowed the artist/scientist to carry their charts in their pockets to pull out and impress their patrons.

The book is a lavish introduction to the early age of astronomy as well as a fabulous book of art and copies of the hardback that were published by Studio Editions can be bought in good condition from the internet for as little as £10 - £12. It's an invitation to go exploring.

 

Terry Potter

January 2016