Verbiest's Prints

In the exhibition we were able to present only a selection from Ferdinand Verbiest’s Xinzhi Yixiangtu. All 105 of the prints are available here. Click on a thumbnail for larger versions, or choose a group from the list of themes such as astronomy and mechanics.

Theme: People [6]

Illustration of the centres of gravity and stability of instruments, people, and creatures The centres of gravity of a sextant of Tycho Brahe Use of a whetstone with an automatic water reservoir and an illustration of the scraping knives being sharpened Method used to cut the surface of a celestial globe, where two people turn the globe (one with crank, other with their feet) and two grind the sphere Machine made of tackle and a large windlass used to lift heavy objects to Observatory platform (left) and an illustration of a windlass (right) Illustration of travelers to show that they are guided by the directions indicated by a compass, with the parts of a compass shown