The book Displays of learning. Studies in early modern art and science by Inga Elmqvist Söderlund collects several of her main publications, but also previously unpublished articles.
Displays of learning reflects researcher and curator Inga Elmqvist Söderlund’s (1967–2017) interest in the early modern pursuit of knowledge, power and control. Art scholars Peter Gillgren, Merit Laine and Mårten Snickare are responsible for the selection of the texts and have also completed some of the material.
The art historian Inga Elmqvist Söderlund researched the relationship between art and natural science during the early modern period, especially in the 17th century. It was a time when modern science emerged and was manifested in new buildings, works of art and illustrations.
-Strangely enough, not many historians have worked on these questions. Today’s natural scientists seem less interested in their history, art historians work mostly with other materials, and historians of science have often been preoccupied with the written word rather than the visual. Therefore, her research was unique and it felt important to get a good compilation of what she achieved, says Peter Gillgren, professor of art science.
Art and science close together
During the early modern era, issues of art and science were close to each other. Art galleries, libraries and places for scientific experiments were erected and decorated with references to classical and contemporary learning. IN Displays of learning such themes are developed, for example in relation to the art chamber that Queen Kristina established at the Royal Palace in the middle of the 17th century and the first observatory in Stockholm, built about 100 years later. Through detailed analyzes and a number of concrete examples – book illustrations, scientific instruments, collections, buildings and environments – the meeting between art and science during the 17th and 18th centuries is highlighted.
The constellation Hercules in Johannes Bayer’s celestial atlas Uranometry from 1603. Page 115 i Displays of Learning.
Peter Gillgren again:
-Visualization and visual representation have always been important to the natural sciences and still are today. The connection between art and technology is not as strong as during the early modern era, but perhaps still on the rise again. One example is research on the human brain and the importance of aesthetic experience, the so-called neuroaesthetics. It is a research that is currently conducted within brain research as well as aesthetics and within the individual aesthetic subjects. Individual artists are also inspired by and work with similar issues.
Inga Elmqvist Söderlund (1967–2017). Photo: Private
About Inga Elmqvist Söderlund
Inga Elmqvist Söderlund (1967–2017) defended her dissertation in 2010 Taking possession of astronomy. Frontispieces and illustrated title-pages in 17th century books on astronomy. From 1996–2013 she was director of the Observatory Museum in Stockholm and from 2014 academic researcher at the Department of Arts and Sciences and then the Department of Culture and Aesthetics at Stockholm University.
The book is published by King. Vitterhetsakademien and is freely available online and can be ordered here:
Royal Vitterhetsakademien’s website
Last updated: April 26, 2024
Site manager: Department of Culture and Aesthetics
