Mathematical Treasure: Galileo's Collected Works

Plate I of Opere di Galileo Galilei (1656). This well known engraving by Stefano della Bella (1610-1664) shows an allegorical scene of Galileo (1564-1642) kneeling before the muses: Astronomy, Perspective, and Mathematics. They examine his telescope while he points to a heavenly demonstration of his phases of the moon. Behind him can be seen an artillery piece being discharged and a passing ship; his experiments, in part, concerned trajectories and navigation.

A happy Galileo looks out from the frontispiece over the title page of Opere di Galileo Galilei (1656).

These images are provided courtesy of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. You may use them in your classroom; all other uses require permission from the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. The Mathematical Association of America is pleased to cooperate with the Beinecke Library and Yale University to make these images available to a larger audience.