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The Refracted Muse: Literature and Optics in Early Modern Spain

  • Enrique García Santo Tomás

When Galileo’s telescope arrived in Madrid in 1610, it not only changed the course of local science, but also became a pivotal image in the critique of contemporary society once it was incorporated into the lexicon of satires, emblems, sonnets, and allegorical dreams as anteojo de larga vista.  The passages analyzed in this talk help us see its rich presence in Spain, forcing us to rethink the artificial gap between scientific discourse and literary creation.

This seminar is part of The Europe Center's Iberian Studies Program seminar series.