Mars

Mallet’s artistic representation of Mars.

This wonderful battle scene showing Mars in the night sky was created by Alain Manesson Mallet for publication in his Description de L’Univers. Artistic license was certainly used, as contemporary knowledge of the planet was limited; though the dark spots do reflect rudimentary astronomical observation. The image below shows a fantastic scene that reflects the characteristics of the Roman god after which the planet was named.

As one of the original Dii Consentes (Greek Olympians), Mars is the god of the war and intrinsically linked to the Roman army. The representation of battle has been upgraded to the century in which it was published, and shows an ongoing artillery siege of an unnamed fortified city. Defensive breastworks, cavalry, infantry supply wagons and other military themes are also depicted.