The Sphere of the World

A large, faint line drawing depicts an armillary sphere armillary sphere centered on the page and enclosed within a simple rectangular border. The sphere shows various celestial rings, including the band of the ecliptic The ecliptic represents the sun's apparent path throughout the year.. At the base of the instrument's stand are two flowing banners or scrolls, which contain very faint, nearly illegible text. Overlaid on the center of the sphere is a dark ink library stamp from the National Central Library of Florence original: "BIBLIOTECA NAZIONALE CENTRALE FIRENZE" featuring a crown and the Roman numeral XV.

you will find? original: "invenies"
you will find? original: "invenies"

Early European Books, Copyright © 2011 ProQuest LLC. Images reproduced by courtesy of the National Central Library of Florence original: "Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze". Manuscript Shelfmark: Magl. L.6.9

Technical Terms

Armillary sphere: A model of the celestial globe constructed from a skeleton of metal rings. These rings represent the major circles of the heavens, such as the celestial equator and the zodiac. In the Renaissance, it was a potent symbol of both scientific knowledge and the divine order of the universe.

Ecliptic band: The portion of an armillary sphere—often decorated with zodiac signs—that represents the annual path of the Sun against the background of the stars.