Clio, the muse of history. Detail from Jan Vermeer, The Art of Painting; Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum. In this well-known work, the central figure of Clio is crowned in laurel, symbolizing honor and glory, holds a trumpet, symbolizing fame, and demurely holds a book, perhaps Thucydides, the symbol of her craft. At the same time, Vermeer's technique emphasizes one of his convictions, namely that the artist must have a deep knowledge of the laws of nature to depict the subject realistically. Moreover, Vermeer has subtly employed the techniques of geometrical perspective in this work: the vanishing point is located only slightly to the left of Clio, thereby giving her greater prominence in the painting. The effect of the tapestry in silhouetting the subject gives the impression of standing at the entry between two rooms when the painting is viewed from a distance of about two meters. This seamless blend of art, history, understanding of nature and mathematics provides an interesting symbolism of the history of science. See Walter Liedtke, Vermeer and the Delft School. New Haven and London: Yale University Press 2001. pp. 394-398.