Title Page, Cosmography and Astrologydetails

Title Page, Cosmography and Astrology

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The title page to the section of The Gentleman’s Recreation is well-known for having the misspelling Cosmgrarhy at the top left. What is more interesting about it is the way Cosmography and Astronomy (which the book also refers to as Astrology) is divided into the Universal, which treats of the history of the universe, and Special, which is Astrology and the influences thereoe, and Terestial, including Geography. The diagram continues to subdivide in ways that may seem odd to us today (such as considering conjunctions, eclipses, coments and the weather as eaqual categories, but it divides in a way that is somehow visually appealing.

The book was printed only in black ink; the colour in many copies has been added afterwards, whether by the publisher, as i imagine, or by others, i cannot say.

Inside the border of the great oval packed with a horizontal tree diagram here are astrological signs and diagrams and also instruments of astronomy and navigation. Outside is a royal coat of arms, a woman with an astrolabe (i think) and a book, and another with a globe and instruments of navigation (both women are barefoot although i don’t know if that’s meant to be significant).

title pages, page images, colour, graphic design, trees, diagrams, astrology, people, women, angels, heraldry

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