Canopus, from Oedipus Aegyptiacus

This black-and-white print features a centered oval frame containing an emblem of the deity Canopus. The figure is shown in profile facing left, characterized by a rounded, vessel-like body and a human head wearing a hood or headdress. It sits upon a base of radiating lines, suggesting heat or fire. Above the head, a small, downward-pointing flame symbol is suspended. The entire composition is framed by an oval border containing Latin text, set within a rectangular box.

This image is taken from Athanasius Kircher's 'Oedipus Aegyptiacus' (1652-1654), a monumental work attempting to decode Egyptian hieroglyphics through the lens of Hermeticism and comparative religion. It reflects the 17th-century fascination with the 'prisca theologia,' where Egyptian iconography was interpreted as containing ancient, hidden wisdom.