Portret van Josephus Justus Scaliger, hoogleraar te Leiden BN 1232

The central oval depicts the scholar in a ruff and patterned doublet, surrounded by an elaborate architectural border. To the left, a female figure representing Astronomy holds an armillary sphere and compasses, while to the right, Mercury stands with his winged helmet and caduceus. The composition is adorned with putti handling books and globes, topped by the Scaliger family coat of arms featuring a ladder.

Joseph Scaliger was a foundational figure in modern chronology and philology; his efforts to synchronize the timelines of ancient civilizations provided the historical framework for Renaissance humanism and the study of ancient wisdom traditions. This print by Goltzius celebrates Scaliger's intellectual authority, linking his scholarship to the divine communication of Mercury and the celestial order of Astronomy.