Highlights

Description

The thermometer dial dates from the early days of instrumental temperature measurement and, uncommon to us, ranges from -100° to +80°. While 0° stands for a moderate temperature, the freezing and boiling points of water are not explicitly named or marked on the dial. To visualise the temperatures, the signs of the zodiac and allegories of the seasons flank the scale in pairs.
The etching's title refers to the "Accademia del Cimento" in Florence, a scientific society that existed between 1657 and 1667. Created decades later, this print is a reference to their research. It is a rare testimony to the era before temperatures were measured in Celsius or Fahrenheit.