Celestial globe | 3D

The celestial globe made in 1715 by Silvestro Amanzio Moroncelli is both a scientific instrument and a refined representation of early 18th-century astronomical knowledge. Its spherical surface depicts stars and constellations according to the convention—still used in modern celestial globes—of viewing the celestial sphere from the outside. Constellation figures accompany the arrangement of the stars, combining scientific observation, traditional iconography, and contemporary cosmological concepts. The globe reflects Moroncelli’s interest in astronomy and cosmology, developed through his philosophical and theological studies and later expanded into geographical and scientific research. Purchased together with the terrestrial globe by the Cortonese Onofrio Baldelli, the object was donated to the MAEC – Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona in 1727, becoming part of its historical collections.

Silvestro Amanzio Moroncelli, 1715
Printed paper applied to a spherical support; wooden structure
Height 150 cm, diameter 80 cm
MAEC – Museo dell’Accademia Etrusca e della Città di Cortona