An Astrologer

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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A man wearing the cap and gown of a scholar sits at a desk in a dark and cavernous room, a glazed expression on his face. He clasps a pair of reading glasses, implying that he was until a moment ago studying the book propped up in front of him. A large diagram of the palm of a hand is visible on one of its pages, suggesting that its subject is palmistry (the art of supposedly interpreting a person’s character or predicting their future by examining their palm). Various details, particularly the celestial globe in the background, also help to identify the man as an astrologer. In the seventeenth century, astrology and palmistry were both associated with the charlatans who claimed that through the use of such ploys they could reveal someone’s fate.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

An Astrologer

Date

1663

Medium

Oil on oak

Measurements

H 36.9 x W 29.6 cm

Accession number

NG1481

Acquisition method

Presented by Martin H. Colnaghi, 1896

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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