1747 Boitard Celestial Map of the Constellations from the Farnese Atlas

A highly unusual 1747 illustration of the celestial globe on the 2nd-century AD Roman sculpture known as the Farnese Atlas. It was drawn by Louis-Philippe Boitard and printed for Joseph Spence's Polymetis. This double hemisphere celestial is unique in that the constellations, including the Zodiac, are beautifully engraved in figural form, but the map does not depict any actual stars. The lines of the meridian and the Zodiac are however present. There are two, blacked out zones, reflecting areas covered by the head, and hands of the sculpture.

The Farnese Atlas

The Farnese Atlas is a 2nd-century AD Roman marble sculpture of Atlas supporting a celestial globe. It is considered the oldest extant statue of Atlas, a Titan of Greek mythology. Atlas was cursed by Zeus to hold up the sky. The sphere shows the night sky as seen from outside the outermost celestial sphere, with low reliefs depicting 41 (some sources say 42) of the 48 classical Greek constellations distinguished by Ptolemy, including Aries (Ram), Cygnus (Swan), and Hercules. The celestial globe supported by the Atlas is itself the oldest known representation of the celestial spheres and classical constellations. The sculpture is at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples, in Italy.

Publication History

This is one of 41 plates, not all celestial, that Boitard prepared for the Polymetis. The Polymetis attempted to reconcile classical art and mythology. It was published in 1747 by R. Dodsley. It was an influential work, treasured by such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson, among others.