Using the Astronomicum Caesareum Book

With its hand-colored illustrations, this splendid book is a feast for the eyes just to leaf through. But it was designed and marketed to meet a specific function: detailed instructions explained to privileged owners—amongst them Tudor King Henry VIII—on how to turn the paper dials according to dates and star signs, to create their own astrological charts and forecasts. Sixteenth-century royalty and scholars alike combined the desire to expand scientific knowledge with long-held superstitions that it was possible to predict anything from one’s health, to the weather and ideal moments of susceptibility—or conversely, obtuseness—according to the movement of the stars. Featured Artwork: The Astronomicum Caesareum, written by Petrus Apianus (1495–1552), illustrated by Michael Ostendorfer (ca. 1490–1549), Ingolstadt, 1540. Printed text on paper with hand-colored woodcut illustrations, 17 7/8 x 12 11/16 in. (45.4 x 32.3 cm.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Herbert N. Straus, 1925 () Subscribe for new content from The Met: #TheMet #Art #TheMetropolitanMuseumofArt #Museum © 2022 The Metropolitan Museum of Art