Artwork
Urania (astronomy) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #12)
Urania (astronomy) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #12) is a print by the Renaissance artist Master of the E-Series Tarocchi. It dates from 1467 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This engraving belongs to the Tarocchi collection, identified by the letter “D” and titled “Apollo and the Muses.
About this work
Overview
This engraving belongs to the Tarocchi collection, identified by the letter “D” and titled “Apollo and the Muses.” Executed as a print, it depicts the figure of Urania, the Muse associated with astronomy, positioned within an imagined hilly terrain. The work is part of a larger series that pairs mythological themes with allegorical representations of knowledge.
Subject & Meaning
In her left hand she holds a spherical globe representing the heavens, while her right hand grasps a compass, a tool linked to measurement and navigation.
Urania is shown as a standing female figure, embodying the celestial sciences. In her left hand she holds a spherical globe representing the heavens, while her right hand grasps a compass, a tool linked to measurement and navigation. Together these attributes convey her role as the divine inspirer of astronomical study, aligning her with the broader function of the Muses as patrons of the arts and sciences.
Technique & Style
The image is rendered in the precise lines and tonal contrasts typical of early modern engraving. Fine hatching creates depth in the landscape and the folds of Urania’s drapery, while the crisp outlines define the symbolic objects she bears. The composition balances a classical idealism with a schematic, almost diagrammatic approach to representing intellectual concepts.
History & Provenance
The print is catalogued within the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings. As part of the Tarocchi series, it reflects a Renaissance interest in synthesizing mythological figures with educational themes. The series was circulated as a set of allegorical cards, each assigned a letter; this particular plate, marked “D,” has been preserved as an example of the period’s didactic visual culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the E-Series Tarocchi
Master of the E-Series Tarocchi (b. 1400) was an Italian artist.
Polyhymnia (heroic hymns) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #15)
Terpsichore (dancing and song) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #13)
Thalia (comedy, pastoral poetry) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #16)
Apollo (from the Tarocchi, series D: Apollo and the Muses, #20)
Erato (lyric and love poetry) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #14)
Euterpe (music, lyric poetry) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #18)
Melpomene (tragedy) (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #17)
Calliope (from the Tarocchi series D: Apollo and the Muses, #11)