Inventory no. 53558 - Former Display Label
28
Flemish ASTROLABE
1565
Signed on the limb, below the suspension piece, "Regnerus Arsenius Nepos Gemmæ Frisij fecit Louanij anno 1565", i.e. 'Made at Louvain in the year 1565, by Regnerus Arsenius, nephew of Gemma Frisius'. Gilt brass. Diam.: 290 mm.
Rete, of the characteristic Arsenius pattern, for 36 stars; the origin of the curious pattern remains unexplained. 1 plate, for latitudes 45° and 51° (2 other plates are lost). The shadow-scales are on the rim, the back of the instrument being engraved with the astrolabum catholicum of Gemma Frisius. The mater is engraved with a quadratum nauticum (nautical square), an aid to the plotting of a course sailed.
The arms, engraved on the shield between the two satyrs forming the typical Arsenius suspension piece, are similar to those of the Frisian family of Schenkels.
The Louvain workshop, probably founded by Gaspar a Myrica, was developed by Gemma Frisius (1508-1555), professor of medicine at Louvain, who greatly encouraged the design and manufacture of astronomical instruments, on which he wrote extensively. In this workshop, the cartographer Gerard Mercator made instruments to Gemma's design. After Mercator's removal to Duisburg in 1552, Gemma's nephew, Gualterus Arsenius Regneri (who signed this astrolabe, Regnerus Arsenius), became the director of the workshop, the products of which - globes, astrolabes, astronomical rings, Jacob's staves, sundials - were sold throughout Europe, often through the agency of the Plantin printing house in Antwerp. The earliest known Arsenius astrolabe, now in Mexico City, is dated 1554. It was Mercator who first used, on astronomical instruments, the Italic script, both systematically and well; he published a writing manual of the Italic script. The continued use of this script on the numerous instruments made in the Arsenius workshop ensured its popularity with other and later instrument makers.
From the Roussel Collection.
[IC 229]
Lewis Evans Collection