Christian Constellations — Antique Celestial Print

This plate, Coeli Stellati Christiani Haemisphaerium Prius, appears in Andreas Cellarius's 1660 atlas Harmonia Macrocosmica and reworks the night sky around Christian rather than classical imagery, following a scheme the astronomer Julius Schiller had introduced in his own 1627 star atlas Coelum Stellatum Christianum. Familiar constellations are replaced by biblical figures, Noah's Ark, King David, the twelve apostles standing in for the zodiac, so that the same stars once used to tell the stories of Hercules and Perseus here retell the Old and New Testaments. The attempt to Christianize the heavens never displaced the classical constellations in general use, but it survives as one of the more unusual episodes in the history of star charts.

Materials & origin

• Material: 200 gsm gallery-grade, acid-free fine-art paper (FSC-certified).
• Print: Archival giclée, 12-colour printing, smooth matte finish for glare-free display.
• Artwork: Restored from a public-domain original; colour and detail digitally cleaned for large-format print.
• Origin: Made on demand and shipped from the print hub nearest you, cutting transit and waste.
• Framing: Sold unframed; ships rolled in a protective tube.