The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 25, 2024
The Angel of the Ninth Sphere (from the Tarocchi, series A: Firmaments of the Universe, #49)
before 1467
Location: not on view
Description
This engraving is part of the Tarocchi group marked with the letter “A”, and named Firmaments of the Universe. This series comprises the seven planets from the classical astronomy (Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) and the three celestial spheres that separate them from the Supreme Entity (Prima Causa) from which everything was originated.Here, Primo Mobile (Prime Mover or the Angel of the Ninth Sphere) is personified as a full-length angel, turned to left, and holding up a large sphere in its hands while only standing on its left foot. The Prime Mover corresponds to the ninth and last of the material spheres, beyond the region of the fixed starts. It was believed to be crystalline and invisible, as well as in direct contact with the First Cause—God himself—from which it takes its infinite speed. Thus, it is here shown as an empty disc held by an angel in a dancing pose.
- The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (June 23-September 28, 1941).Italian and German Prints of the 15th Century. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 29, 1933-January 3, 1934).
- {{cite web|title=The Angel of the Ninth Sphere (from the Tarocchi, series A: Firmaments of the Universe, #49)|url=false|author=Master of the E-Series Tarocchi|year=before 1467|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1924.432.49