Cl. Ptolomaeus Alexandrinus Mathematicus
|
A small but attractive portrait of Claudius Ptolemy showing his head and shoulders. Ptolemy (87-150) was an Egyptian astronomer and geographer living and studying in Alexandria. Alexandria was not only the home of the greatest library of any period, but also one of the most important trade centres between west and east, so that Ptolemy could not only study ancient authorities, but also consult contemporary travellers and merchants. It was Ptolemy who introduced the concept of latitude and longitude to form a grid to cover the whole world, so that it would be possible to plot the position of principal land-marks by observations. Here Ptolemy is shown holding a quadrant, the instrument of his accurate observations, to his chest.
region: Portraits |
|
| return to Portraits |
