Portrait of Tycho Brahe (Bodleian)

What it is

This oil portrait shows Tycho Brahe bald and bearded with a large upturned moustache, dressed in black with a white ruff collar and a gold chain pendant, holding a glove and a small object. It is associated with the year 1596 and is held by the Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford.

Why it matters

That a portrait of Tycho ended up in an English university library shows how widely his reputation as an astronomer spread across Europe during his own lifetime. The Latin inscription and the small scene of a celestial globe and armillary sphere in the background link his image directly to his scientific work.

Look closer

• What does the inclusion of astronomical instruments in the background tell you about how Tycho wanted to be remembered?
• Why might this portrait have travelled to England rather than staying in Denmark?
• What can't a painted portrait tell us about Tycho's actual discoveries?