Raffaello - Astronomie (Studie für das Deckengemälde der Astronomie, Stanza della Segnatura, Vatikan), 188v

A preparatory sketch for a ceiling fresco in the Vatican, depicting a female figure in motion as she gazes down at a large celestial sphere. The globe features the skeletal framework of the heavens, including the primary meridian and equatorial circles. The figure’s dynamic posture suggests she is measuring or contemplating the mathematical order of the stars.

This drawing is a study for the 'Astronomia' panel in the Stanza della Segnatura, the same room as 'The School of Athens.' It illustrates the Renaissance Neoplatonic synthesis of the Liberal Arts, where the study of the cosmos through natural philosophy serves as a bridge to understanding divine order.