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Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery

Decorative Arts and Design

On View: Decorative Art, 19th Century, 4th Floor
After centuries of thinking that the Sun revolved around the Earth, Western science agreed that the Sun is at the center of our solar system. Complex and beautiful scientific instruments such as this took their place beside works of art in collectors’ display cabinets and the libraries of scholars as one tool to explain the world around us. It is thought that the first model like this was made for the Earl of Orrery, in 1704, and from him it gets its name.
MEDIUM Wood, metal, pigment
DATES 19th century
DIMENSIONS component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm) component 'b' - Lunar model: 13 x 22 1/2 x 8 in. (33 x 57.2 x 20.3 cm) as installed in Milligan room. display volume of 'a' with 'b': 16 x 61 x 20 in. (40.6 x 154.9 x 50.8 cm)  (show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER 53.260a-b
CREDIT LINE Brooklyn Museum Collection
MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Decorative Art, 19th Century, 4th Floor
CAPTION Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery, 19th century. Wood, metal, pigment, component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 53.260a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg)
IMAGE overall, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2015
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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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 <em>Three Dimensional Celestial Instrument, So-Called Orrery</em>, 19th century. Wood, metal, pigment, component 'a' - the planets: 16 x 40 x 17 in. (40.6 x 101.6 x 43.2 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, 53.260a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 53.260a-b_overall_installation_PS4.jpg)