The Iconography of Ars magna lucis et umbrae in Sor Juana’s Primero sueño
Abstract
In this article, I examine the importance of Athanasius Kircher's Ars magna lucis et umbrae in Primero sueño. I argue that the technical and metaphysical descriptions that appear in Kircher's encyclopedic treatise on light and especially the volume’s iconography exerted considerable influence on the poem. Given the multiple links between Kircher's iconography and the design of the mental landscape that Sor Juana constructs, I propose that Primero sueño can be read as a commentary on the volume's images. Considering the literal and figurative meanings of light and darkness in Primero sueño, I also reaffirm the legacy of Kircher in Sor Juana.
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