Johannes Kepler, a crucial figure in the realm of astronomy, existed during an era when personal portraits were uncommon for those of lesser means. Born in 1571 to a daughter of an innkeeper and a mercenary father who deserted the family when Kepler was five, visual representations of him are limited. In contrast to the well-documented Isaac Newton and Charles Babbage, Kepler’s likeness is mostly conjectural, with few verified contemporary images.
One potential representation of Kepler is attributed to the German artist Hans van Aachen, renowned for his Northern Mannerist approach. While classified as a portrait of a young man who may be Kepler, this attribution is not definitive, leaving uncertainty regarding its legitimacy.
Another alleged portrayal is found in the Galleria degli Uffizi, identified as Johannes Keplerus. The artist’s name and the precise date remain unknown, although it is believed to originate from the seventeenth century.
The nineteenth century offers an engraved image by Frederick Mackenzie, part of the Smithsonian Dibner Library’s collection. This piece is said to be derived from an artwork possessed by Godefrey Kraemer in Regensburg, the location where Kepler spent his later years.
Other images in the Dibner Library include a version of the Uffizi engraving and a profile engraving without a date, adding to the collection of imagined likenesses of Kepler.
A particularly fascinating item is an engraving produced from a painting completed in 1620, given to the Strasbourg Library in 1627. August Köhler subsequently crafted a 1910 painting based on this engraving, which is displayed in the Kepler-Museum in Weil der Stadt, Kepler’s birthplace.
Adding complexity to the story is a striking portrait once believed to depict Kepler, housed by a Benedictine monastery in Kremsmünster, Austria. Initially thought to have been created in 1610, recent analyses suggest it may have been produced in the nineteenth century and call into question its identification with Kepler, potentially labeling it a forgery.
In conclusion, the visual documentation of Johannes Kepler remains a mysterious tapestry interwoven with uncertainties. Historians and art historians persist in exploring and reevaluating these images, enriching the ongoing discussion regarding Kepler’s elusive likeness.