Tycho Brahe, Astronomiae Restaurator

What it is

This is an etched portrait print of Tycho Brahe, held by the Wellcome Collection in London. It shows him wearing a feathered black hat, lace ruff, and dark fur-trimmed robe, with a caption below describing him as 'Astronomiae Restaurator' — the restorer of astronomy.

Why it matters

This portrait reflects how later generations remembered Tycho Brahe: not just as an astronomer, but as someone credited with reviving and reforming the practice of careful astronomical observation. The caption shows the high esteem in which he was held.

Look closer

• Why do you think the caption calls Brahe the 'restorer of astronomy' rather than simply an astronomer?
• What do his clothes in the portrait suggest about how artists wanted him to be remembered?
• How might this portrait differ from one made while Brahe was alive?