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Rene Descartes and Queen Christina
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Rene Descartes and Queen Christina
Rene Descartes (1596-1650), French mathematician, teaching astronomy to Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689). Descartes accepted a post at Christinas court in Stockholm in September 1649. Christina insisted that Descartes teach her three times a week at five o clock in the morning. Descartes had habitually never risen from bed before 11am and had also suffered from ill-health throughout his life. The early, cold mornings caused him to catch pneumonia and he was dead by February 1650. In astronomy, Descartes tried unsuccessfully to find a compromise between the cosmological work of Ptolemy and Copernicus
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Media ID 6410992
© SHEILA TERRY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
1600s 17th Century Armillary Sphere Astronomer Cogito Ergo Sum Dead Death Early Education Educational Fatal Fifties French Humans Learning Library Mathematical Mathematician Mathematics Morning Palace Patron Philosopher Philosophical Philosophy Pneumonia Portraits Pupil Queen Regal Renaissance Rene Descartes Royal Royalty Scientist Student Sweden Swedish Table Teacher Teaching Telescope Twenties Young 1640s 1649 1650 1650s Cartesian Queen Christina Of Sweden Stockholm
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print captures a significant moment in history, showcasing the renowned French mathematician and philosopher, Rene Descartes, teaching astronomy to Queen Christina of Sweden. In an unexpected turn of events, Descartes accepted a post at the royal court in Stockholm in 1649. However, this new role came with its challenges as Christina insisted on being taught by Descartes three times a week at the ungodly hour of five o'clock in the morning. For Descartes, who had always been accustomed to rising late due to his ill-health and personal habits, these early mornings proved fatal. The harsh cold caused him to catch pneumonia and tragically led to his untimely demise just months later in February 1650. In this illustration filled with historical significance and regal charm, we witness the meeting of two intellectual powerhouses amidst an astronomical backdrop. With an armillary sphere placed on the table before them and a telescope within reach, they engage in deep discussions about cosmology while surrounded by books that hold centuries worth of knowledge. This artwork not only pays homage to one of Europe's greatest thinkers but also serves as a reminder of how passion for education can transcend boundaries even during challenging times.
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